Never Met A Mutant Like Her
by Animelover210
Summary: A teenage girl tries to figure out her growing mutant powers, her celebrity siblings, and her new home of Bayville High. ToadxOC NightcrawlerxOC different
1. Chapter 1

_**Part One.**_

Kurt Wagner nervously twitched his three-fingered hands as he rode the train. His body was heavily covered in a dark hood with long sleeves.

"Excuse me. Are you Kurt?"

He looked up, careful to keep his face from being seen. The girl was his age, just a slight bit older, with light blonde hair that ended a little beneath her shoulders. Her light blue eyes looked at him with a curious expression.

"My name's Melanie Wilbur. Pleasure to finally meet you."

The bleachers should have been filled with people. Students and adults should have been cheering for their football teams. What prevented this? Three football players attempted to take care of a petty thief using brute force and threats. Scott Summers, a young mutant with the ability to shoot energy through his eyes, attempted to save the thief. His efforts caused his sunglasses to be knocked off. The beams of energy ignited a propane tank and set a massive fire.

The fire department and police came minutes later as the crowds fled. As the police as fire department are in the field, Scott's friend, Jean Grey, walks over to help find his ruby quartz sunglasses. They were underneath a burning piece of debris.

"Its too hot to touch. At least with my hands."

She used her telekinetic abilities to raise the debris and took the sunglasses over to Scott.

"You okay?"

Once she slid the glasses onto his face, he grabbed her wrists and opened his eyes.

"Jean. I-"

"I know."

The two looked over and found Duncan, one of the football players being strapped into a stretcher to go to the hospital.

"Look. You better go, Scott."

A police officer stood over Duncan as the paramedics took his helmet off.

"What happened here?"

Duncan groaned.

"I do n't remember. My head..."

"Concussion. He's been hit hard," the paramedic said checking Duncan's eyes.

The police officer looked around, unaware of the car that had stopped several feet away from the scene. In the car was Professor Charles Xavier.

"Looks to me like-"

Professor Xavier used his telepathy to alter the officer's mind.

"It...it must've been a leak in that propane tank."

Jean went over to Duncan's side.

"Duncan? Are you all right?"

"You know me. Skull like concrete."

He tapped his head but groaned in pain.

"Aw. Poor baby."

As the paramedics began to cart Duncan into the ambulance, Jean went with them. In the distance, by the bleachers, Scott Summers was trembling with jealousy.=2 0The thief, Todd Tolansky, went over to Scott. He hesitated to talk to the classmate who saved him.

"Thanks. Real ly, you know?"

"Yeah," Scott said as he walked away.

Todd watched Scott walked away. Instead of standing, he bent down in a position he preferred. A fly buzzed around his head. With the flick of his long, green tongue, he ate the fly before hopping away.

In the car several feet away, Charles Xavier took another look around.

"Things appear under control for now. We better hurry. We have a train to catch."

The driver, Ororo Monroe, also known as Storm, drove the car away from the scene of the accident.

The train station was nearly empty that late at night. Storm looked around for a young man in his teens as well as a young woman. A young man with blonde hair walked off the train.

"Kurt?"

"That's not Kurt."

They turned to the end of the train.

"This is."

The hooded figure came off the train carrying two bags. Next to him was a young woman w earing white pants and a purple top.

The next day, Jean and Scott were preparing to go to school. Actually, Scott was ready but was waiting on Jean.

"Come on, Jean! We're going to be late!"

"Just a minute!"

"We don't have time!"

She stepped out of the bathroom and ran her finger along his chin.

"So are we going or what?"

He smiled sheepishly as she walked ahead of him. The two went down the staircase in the entryway.

"We're heading out Professor."

"Just a moment you two. Come here. I'd like you to meet some new people."

Jean and Scott walked into the study and found a hooded figure and a girl their age.

"This is Kurt Wagner and Melanie Wilbur. They arrived late last night."

"Hi Kurt. Hi Melanie. This is Jean and I'm Scott." Melanie shook their hands as Kurt back away.

"Its all right, Kurt. You're among friends here."

Kurt pulled out his three-fingered hand and shook Scott's.

"Hello."

Scott had a surprised expression that made Kurt pull away.

"I was just telling Kurt how I set up this institute for gifted youngsters. For those whose gifts are not always an asset. Melanie's grandfather was one of the first people to attend here. He had problems controlling his powers. Ring any bells. Scott?"

"So you heard about last night."

"It was difficult not to. It was on all the news channels."

"There was a bad situation. It was an accident. I'm sorry."

"I know. Fortunately no one was badly injured and the true cause was not discovered but you must be more careful."

"Come on, Professor! I'm packing a bazooka behind each eye! What do you want from me?"

"Control, Scott! That's why you're here. That's why you're all here."

The Professor turned to Kurt and Melanie.

"Scott's eyes emit a powerful optic beam."

"Cool," Kurt said pulling down his hood, revealing his blue fur, golden eyes, and pointed ears.

Jean walked over to Melanie and Kurt.

"What about you two? Got any special gifts that brought you here?"

Kurt poofed into smoke and disappeared. He reappeared in the opposite corner of the room.

"Maybe."

"Whoa."

"My gift is kind of silly so don't make fun of it," Melanie said holding her palms up.

Bubbles began floating out of her hands.

Scott looked at her with a bewildered expression. Melanie began moving the bubbles to various items in the room. They all began floating in the air.

"Cool."

"I'll be helping Kurt get settled in. Melanie wants to start school immediately. Can the t wo of you take her?"

"Sure, Professor."

"Good. We'll talk more tonight."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part Two.**_

At Bayville High School, Todd Tolansky scuffed his untied shoes on the floor. He was sitting in front of the principal's office with a grim expression. The female principal opened her door.

"Mr. Tolansky."

He flinched as she said his name. She glared at him before he got up and walked into the room. The woman waved her hand in front of her face in attempt to clear away the odor that came off of Todd. Todd hopped into the seat in front of the desk.

"Excuse me while I open a window."

She opened it and sat on her desk. "Now, Toad. Shall we talk about your new friend, Scott Summers?"

"What about him? He's cool. Heck if it wasn't for him, them jocks would've smashed my skull flat."

"Yes...well...as you know, Scott has special power s. There are others like him. We need to know more."

As she talked, she moved behind Toad and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Look I-"

"Excuse me, is this the principal's office?"

The principal and Toad looked over at the window. Melanie was sitting there with her one-strap backpack over her left shoulder.

"I was hoping since this is my first day."

The principal stepped away from Toad. He sighed in relief.

"Most students either knock before entering or at least use the doorway."

"I wanted to take a look around. I heard yelling and was hoping I found the office."

She jumped down and winked at Toad.

"All right. Todd, we'll talk later. My name is Principal Darkholme."

As he left, Melanie took his seat. He was about to run off and hide until classes started. When he thought of how the girl saved him from Mystique, he stayed outside the Principal's office and leaned against the lockers.

"And you're going to take French, correct?"

"Yes. I was taking French at Lady Catherine's."

"It must be a big change from an all girl's private school to a public school."

"I think I'll be okay. Thank you very much."

Melanie quickly left the office and saw the boy from the office waiting.

He turned his head in embarrassment.

"Why did you come in through the window?"

"I heard her screaming at you. My name is Melanie. Melanie Wilbur. If you want you can call me Mel or Miss Piggy. Although, I really wouldn't prefer the last one."

She laughed with one of the sweetest expressions Toad had ever seen.

"That was a joke. You were supposed to laugh."

He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Why would you call yourself Miss Piggy?"

"My last name is Wilbur. Like the pig in Charlotte's Web? It was a mean nickname I had at Lady Catherine's."

Toad looked at her confused.

"It was my old school. All girls. All snobs."

"Well...um...welcome to Bayville. Just as many snobs but with guys and girls. Excluding yours truly," he said with a smile.

She laughed again.

"You're funny. What's your name?"

"Um Toad. I-I mean Todd! Todd Tolansky."

"Nice to meet you Todd."

The bell started to ring.

"I guess that means we get to homeroom, right?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, after school, could you show me around town?"

Todd turned pink.

"I guess."

"Thanks!"

She walked down the hallway and faded into the crowd of students. Toad stood still for a few seconds with a smile on his face. The principal grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the office.

"Don't forget. Find out where Scott and the others are."

"D-Don't worry. I got it."

Classes went by and it was time for lunch. Scott stopped at his locker, next to his friend's.

"See you at lunch."

"Okay. Save me a seat!"

As everyone cleared the hallways and Scott rummaged through his locker for his lunch. Todd quickly leaned against the locker next to Scott. He spun around.

"Yo, Summers."

Todd hopped on top of the lockers for his next feat.

"What's up?"

Scott looked around carefully.

"That's quite a jump."

"You like it? Surprised you could see them through them smokies of yours. Here, let me20help."

Todd shot out his long, green tongue and grabbed Scott's glasses. Scott put his arms in front of his face for protection.

"Hey!"

Toad held the glasses and waved them back and forth.

"What's the matter, Summers? Afraid to open your eyes?"

"Obviously we both know what will happen if I do. Now gimme back my shades before I go nuclear on you?"

A red light peeked out behind his arms.

"You got it."

Toad threw the glasses and used his tongue to give them to Scott.

"As you can see, we both have something in common."

"Yeah. Now we're both slimy," Scott said putting the glasses on and clearing away the slime.

"No," Toad said hopping down off of the lockers.

"I mean we ain't like other people."

Scott crossed his arms.

"And your point is..."

"I just wanna talk."

Toad hopped onto the lockers and held on to them with his left hand.

"You know, get to know each other better."

Toad used his long tongue to grab Scott's lunch and ate it in one bite.

"Do lunch, maybe."

Scott started walking away.

"I'll think about it."

"Yeah. You think about it, Summers. I got other stuff to do," Toad said as he hopped out of the window.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part Three.**_

At the Xavier institute, an alarm was going off. Professor Xavier went over to a massive computer called Cerebro.

A red light was blinking on a section of Bayville High.

"So...out in the open."

The phone started to ring.

"Hello, Scott."

"Professor, you know it always weirds me out when you do that."

"Sorry. What are you calling about?"

Professor Xavier hit a series of buttons until a unique headpiece came up.

"One of the students. He's...uh...kinda like us."

"Yes. Todd Tolansky," the Professor said putting the headpiece on.

"You know him?"

"Cerebro just got a reading. Must be using his powers openly."

"Anyway, he's not exactly the kind of guy you'd wanna share a room with. I mean, he's got the personal hygiene of a dead pig."

"We cannot turn our backs on anyone, Scott. You know that."

"Yeah. Should I bring him in?"

"Yes. I'll speak to you later."

As Scott and Professor Xavier ended their phone conversation, Kurt=2 0went over to Cerebro.

"What's that thing, Professor?"

"This is Cerebro. It detects the manifestation of special powers. That's how we found you."

Todd Tolansky was on the screen.

"So that guy is one of us?"

"That remains to be seen."

The Professor used his telepathy to reach Storm in the greenhouse.

"Storm?"

"What is it, Professor?"

She used her weather abilities t o create a small cloud to water the plants.

"I need you to audition someone for me."

Todd and Melanie were walking through the town after school. She noticed that if he stood up straight, they would be the same height but he was hunched over.

"There ain't exactly a lot to do in this town. Its an hour from New York City and that's it."

"Better than before. I was up b y Lake Ontario in Ogdensburg. I think it was close to seven hours to get to New York City."

"Seven hours?!"

"I used to live closer but my house caught on fire and we had to move. It killed my grandparents. My parents died a few months later from thier injuries. My brothers and sisters were all fine though."

The two walked into the park. Most of the elementary schools didn't close yet and the park was empty. Along the path, they found a small cat trapped in a tree.

"Poor thing. Hold on."

Toad looked around nervously. He could hop up there in an instant but could he risk showing her?

Melanie raised her hand up and formed a bubble.

"Keep a watch for people, okay?"

He stared at her as the bubble took the cat inside of it and brought it down to Melanie.

"There we go."

"How did you-"

"The same way you can use your powers. Its instinct."

"How'd you-"

"I listened in on your conversation with Principal Darkholme. What can you do?"

Toad sat down in his usual toad stance.

"They call me Toad."

He used his long tongue to grab a branch and hang from it.

"Way cool!"

That was the last thing he expected her to say. His face turned a slight tink of pink as he jumped down and retracted his tongue. The cat hissed and scratched Melanie. She dropped it and the cat ran away.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

The two kept walking as she used a tissue to dab away the blood.

"So...how many siblings do you have?"

"I'm one of a set of quintuplets. We all look somewhat identical but each has a different trait. I'm the youngest. Megan is first and she has a small birthmark in the center of her chest. Melody is second with a small birthmark on her=2 0left cheek and is identical to Mandy except Mandy's birthmark is on her right cheek. Finally, the one before me is Maya. We also have seven brothers. Three older, Malcolm, Maxwell, and Martin the III, and four younger, Marcello, Marc, Mitchell, and Myles."

"Why all of the 'M' names?"

"Everyone worshiped my grandfather, Martin. He was a mutant, like us. His power was to alter DNA. He could change a person's eye and hair color or even bring out their X-genes faster. He met my grandmother, Abigail when she was a nurse in the hospital and he was a doctor. They had my father, Martin Jr. He has the X-gene too. He has X-ray vision and can see through anything. He met my mother, Kim, when she was a lawyer. They were against each other, fighting to find the truth in the disappearance of a man. It was so weird! It turned out the guy faked his death, pinned it on his brother, and was planning on running away with the brother's wife!"

Melanie turned red.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm talking way too much."

Todd started laughing.

"Its cool. Don't worry about it."

"Maybe you should come over and che ck out the institute out. Maxwell told me its great for people like you and me. Crap! I was supposed to call him after school! I better go."

She pulled out a slip of paper and wrote something down.

"Here's my cell phone number. Call me if you want to check the place out...or if you find something interesting to do in this town."

She winked at him as she ran down the path.

Toad stared at her with a strange expression.

"She's weirder than me, I think."

He looked at the paper in his hand. His talk with Mystique replayed in his head.

"Yeah. Maybe I will check this place out."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part Four.**_

It was late that evening when Toad decided to 'check out' the institute. Instead of his outfit of a brown shirt with the sleeves rolled up on top of a white, long-sleeved shirt and jeans with holes in the legs, he was wearing a tight-fitting green outfit with a metallic fabric o n his back. He took hold of the gate and looked how high it was. It would be impossible for a normal human. Good thing he wasn't.

Toad began hopping around the grounds. He knew he had to get inside like Mystique wanted but couldn't help wondering if he would run into Melanie.

Storm stepped out of the house wearing her X-men uniform, a strong wind forming around her. She lifted herself into the air and searched for the intruder.

Thunder roared overhead as lightning brightened the midnight sky. A heavy downpour covered Toad and the grounds of the institute. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed a foot away from Toad. He started to jump as fast and as far as he could, lightning chasing his heels.

Nightcrawler went to the entryway of the institute to see what all of the noise was. A gust of wind opened the front door and nearly knocked Nightcrawler over. What knocked Nightcrawler over was the airborne Toad. They tumbled over a few times before they faced each other.

"Whoa. What are you? Some kind of ratty plush toy?"

Nightcrawler sniffed the air and held his nose.

"The name's Nightcra wler and at least I don't smell like unwashed lederhosen!"

"You blue-furred freak!"

Toad pounced at Nightcrawler only to have the blue-furred man teleport.

"As you say in America," Nightcrawler said on the chandelier on the ceiling, "Nener nener nener!"

"That ain't gonna help you boy!"

Toad jumped to the chandelier but Nightcrawler jumped down and held onto the wall.

"You're so slow!"

The two jumped down the hallways, clinging to the walls.

"You couldn't catch flies on a windshield!"

"Fight like a man!"

A crash outside Melanie's room woke her up. She opened her door and thought she heard Kurt and Todd. As a precaution, she put on her standard X-men uniform and ran out to find them. They led her to the entryway. The two bounced off the walls and crawled on the ceiling.

"Burst!"

Melanie looked over=2 0at the Professor and Storm.

"Professor? Why is Nightcrawler fighting Toad? I thought this place was open for mutants."

"We needed to make sure he actually was a mutant. He can join us, if he so desires."

Nightcrawler and Toad had listened in on the conversation.

"The only thing I _desire_ is blue boy's fuzzy head!"

Toad wrapped his tongue around Nightcrawler's arm, making him lose his grip on the chandelier. The two started to fall when Burst attempted to break up the fight. She formed a bubble around herself and floated up to where they were. She managed to grab Toad's arm when Nightcrawler teleported them somewhere.

The three crashed into a large room surrounded by metal with an observation deck above them. The lights came on as a red light came from inside the observation deck.

"Where are we?"

"You askin' me, fool? You brought us here."

"Stop fighting, boys! We need to get out of here!"

Burst pointed to a series of lasers and weapons emerging from the=2 0walls.

The Professor contacted Jean and Scott, who just finished a training exercise.

"Nightcrawler, Toad, and Burst have teleported into the Danger Room! Get in there now!"

"Aw man! The Danger Room has automated defenses! It'll hit them with everything they got!"

Burst tried using her bubbles to create a shield around herself but was too stressed out to focus. The best she could do was form bubbles in front of the lasers to deflect the rays. Toad and Nightcrawler jumped frantically around the room. Scott and Jean ran into the room and began using their powers to destroy the lasers and keeping the others safe. Burst looked back at Toad and found him being pressed back by a wall with a second wall emerging from the floor.

"Toad, watch out!"

Burst created a bubble around Toad and floated him towards her just before the walls closed into each other.

On the observation deck, Storm and Professor began shutting down the danger room. Nightcrawler had figured out that it was a training area and attempted to shut down one of the lasers himse lf. The machine began shooting wildly and nearly hit Scott. Storm shorted out the machine using lightning. Finally, the room was shut down.

"Toad, are you okay?"

"Forget this, man! I am outta here!"

"Toad, wait!"

"Its all right, Burst."

"But, Professor!"

"He wasn't ready to be one of us."

"I blew it too, Professor," Nightcrawler said. "I'm sorry. You've been wonderful, but...I guess I just don't belong here."

Nightcrawler teleported out of the room. Scott volunteered to go look for him. Burst ran out of the room in search for Toad. By the time she found him, he had run into another mutant. He reminded her of a cowboy with his hat, boots, and jacket. In each hand, he had three metal claws coming out of in between his fingers.

"Let him go, Logan."

She turned around and found the Professor standing at a balcony.

Logan retracted his claws and let Toad h op away, muttering under his breath.

"Who's the girl?"

"The two of you come inside and I'll get you acquainted."

The three went into the Professor's study.

"This is Logan, but his mutant name is Wolverine. He's a senior member of the X-men. Then this is Melanie Wilbur."

"Any relation to Martin?"

"Yes. Believe it or not, Melanie, Wolverine and Martin were both here around the same time."

"I understand he died before you really knew him. I'm sorry."

"He died with my grandmother in a fire when I was little."

Melanie looked at Wolverine for a minute. At first, she thought he was in his thirties, but to find out he was the age of her grandfather was a shock.

"You look like Martin. Blonde hair and everything. Hope you won't be as strict. He was too much of a goody-two-shoes in my opinion."

"She's not like that, Logan, but she does have his heart in20reaching out to others. You told Todd about the institute, didn't you?"

Melanie swallowed hard and looked away.

"I thought it was a good thing to do."

"I understand your heart was in the right place but you cannot just give out information like that."

"I'm sorry, Professor."

"Its all right, kid. I made a few mistakes when I first came here," Logan said putting a hand on her shoulder.

She turned around and walked out of the room.

For the entire night, she couldn't fall asleep and kept looking at her cell phone.

"I wonder if Toad is mad."

The clock read 1:15. With nothing else to do, she changed into her clothes for the day and grabbed the keys for her Tahoe.

The next day, Toad was called by Mystique to the school. He was still in his Brotherhood uniform and she was still posing as Principal Darkholme.

"I can't believe this! You were actually20inside and you ran away?!"

"Hey, I freaked. So sue me. I did what I could."

"And no doubt the good Professor wiped your mind so you can't remember anything!"

He shook his head no. She opened the door and screamed.

"Get out!"

Toad hopped out as fast as he could, praying that a teacher wouldn't send him to the principal today.

As soon as Toad was out, Mystique changed into her true form, with her fire-red hair and blue skin covered by a white and dark blue outfit.

The ground began to shake.

"Don't be so hard on the boy, Mystique. We don't want to thin out ranks now, do we?"

She clung to her desk.

"No, sir. I'll be more careful."

Paper clips and her name plate floated in front of her face.

"Mind you are, for this is only the beginning."

A figure appeared outside the window, his glowing eyes the only feature one could see from the dark robe and helmet.

The school day started with Kurt finding out a new breakfast item called the 'Breakfast Burger Gut Bomb.' He gave one to Melanie but she was never a big fan of hamburgers. She kept turning her head as she walked on the school grounds.

"You okay, Melanie? You look distracted."

"I'm just looking around. How did you feel after last night?"

"Exhausted."

"Me too. See you at lunch, okay?"

She ran into the school and started scanning the hallways.

"Melanie! Hey!"

One of Melanie's new friends, Katie, ran over.

"Hi, Katie. What's up?"

"Can I please see your math homework??"

Melanie turned bright red.

"D-Don't be mad but I actually skipped lunch yesterday and had the tea cher help me with it."

"What? But you understood it during class!"

"Not really. I just took guesses. She took my work when we were done to make sure I wouldn't give it to anyone."

Katie smacked herself in the forehead.

"Darn it!"

"Ask Cindy for help. She's a whiz at math."

"Great idea! I owe you one!"

"I'll hold you to it," she said walking away and still scanning the halls.

After a few minutes, she found who she was looking for outside school by the dumpster, eating flies.

"That your idea of a good breakfast?"

Toad jumped back in surprise.

"What do you want?"

She frowned and sat down a few feet away. "I didn't mean for everyone to attack you. I'm really sorry. Please don't be mad."

Toad watched out of the corner of his e ye as she pulled out a box from her backpack.

"It took me a while but I found a place that sold these in New York City."

The box contained chocolate-covered crickets.

"I know you like eating bugs so I thought maybe you would like these."

She looked away.

"I don't know what kind of bugs you like though."

He stared at her as she turned pink. Her fingers were tapping nervously on her legs. Toad grabbed one of the crickets and ate it.

"Hey, these are pretty good."

She looked back at Toad with a smile on her face.

"Really?!"

"Yeah."

Melanie looked at the box and took one out.

"I don't know if you-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Melanie started eating the cricket. At first, she really liked it but groaned. 0A

"What's the matter?"

After she started picking her teeth, she smiled.

"I had a leg between my teeth."

The two started laughing as Toad continued eating the crickets. Melanie pulled out a plum from her purse.

"I'm impressed. Most girls would be too freaked out by this."

"Well," She winked at him. "It's a good thing I'm not like most girls."

Toad turned a light shade of pink.

"Yeah. Real good thing."

"So did you ever think of something interesting things to do in this town?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part Five.**_

The next few days seemed to fly by. New students were coming to the institute like flies to honey. There was Kitty Pride, a girl a little over fifteen who could pass through walls. Her other name was Shadowcat. Ororo's nephew, Evan Daniels, came in with the ability to create bony spi kes from his body. His other name was Spyke.

Rogue was another new mutant who had just chosen to join the X-men. She could absorb a person's life force or, in the case of mutants, could use their powers for a short time. She and Melanie have become friends, or what Melanie wishes, after they have a few classes together. Rogue had no interest in her at first but enjoyed the company in the boring classes. However, there came three other mutants who were fighting the X-men, excluding the Toad.

First, there was Lance Alvers, also known as Avalanche. He came from the same school as Kitty and has the ability to create strong vibrations through the ground. Next, there's Fred Dukes, his other name being the Blob for good reason. He was incredibly strong but wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the warehouse. Most of the kids at school made fun of him the first day but with the help of Jean, he started to relax. Jean became the focus of Fred's affection but ended after he tried to kidnap her. Finally, there was Pietro Maximoff, or as he thought of himself, God's gift to humanity. His other name was Quicksilver because of his power of super speed.

It was lunch when most of the X-men students were sitting at the same table outside.

"I don't know. Go to Duncan Matthews' party? I don't think so," Scott said shaking his head.

Evan was drinking all the mil at the table.

"You gonna finish that moo juice?"

"Evan, ease up on the milk. You're gonna grow utters!"

"Here, you can have mine." Jean said handing Evan her milk.

"Come on, Scott. It could be fun!"

"Matthews is a jerk!"

"No, he's not," Kitty said. "I would go."

"No freshmen allowed."

"Matthews is a jerk."

Melanie laughed as Kitty crossed her arms.

"Half of the school will be there. What happens if someone gets too close to Kurt? The inducer won't stop them from feeling his fur."

"Hey, chicks dig the fuzzy-man. Right?"

Kurt leaned over to Kitty but she just got up and left.

"O h yeah. She can't resist."

"Guys, I'm being serious. What if at the party, Dukes or Maximoff try to start something? We're not the only mutants in the school."

"Yeah, just the cool ones."

Evan high-fived Kurt as Scott sighed.

"Come on, Scott," Jean said. "What's wrong with a little socializing?"

"I'm sorry. I just don't think it's a good idea."

Kurt snapped.

"Dude! Its just a party!"

He jumped on the table and started dancing.

"Time to shake that tail!"

Whether he did it on purpose or not, Kurt's blue, pointed tail came out.

"Hey, watch the tail!"

Scott grabbed Kurt's tail and yanked him back in his seat.

"Now see? That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

"You pulled my=2 0tail, man!"

"Grow up, Kurt!"

"Lighten up, dude!"

"You're always goofing around!"

"And you're seriously cramping my style!"

"Listen-"

"No, you listen!"

"Kurt, calm-"

Melanie put her hand on Kurt's shoulder just before he teleported.

Kurt teleported them to what appeared to be a basement of the school.

"I have got to work on my re-entries," Kurt said as his holo-inducer shorted-out.

"Can you please, get off of me?"

"M-Melanie!"

He bolted up and helped her on her feet.

"Who's there?"

Kurt panicked when he heard Rogue's voice. He grabbed Melanie's arm and teleported her into a room in front of th em.

There was dust and dirt covering the many screens and wires in the room.

Kurt and Melanie walked as they looked around, blindly activating a defense system.

"What is this place?"

The lights and screens turned on. A man their age came on th main screen.

"January twenty-second, nineteen seventy-eight. Hi there. If you're hearing this message, you've got ten seconds before this lab self-destructs. Have a nice day, what's left of it."

Red numbers began counting down the seconds.

"Kurt, do something!"

Kurt ran up to the keyboard.

"I knew I should have paid more attention in computer lab."

Melanie ran up and looked for some kind of off switch as Kurt began hitting buttons.

The lab exploded and sent Melanie and Kurt flying across the room into a pile of boxes.

"You okay, Melanie?"

"I only wish I had signed up for computer lab."

"Are you two all right?"

"The lab was rigged."

"Lab? What lab?"

Rogue went into the room and stared at the now broken screens and the loose wires shooting off electricity.

"Whatever this stuff was, its trash now...except for this."

There was a machine standing on top of an old computer.

She picked it up as Melanie and Kurt stumbled into the room.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you guys the same thing. At least I didn't blow the place up."

Kurt noticed she had the machine in her hands.

"Hey, let go of that!"

Rogue and Kurt began fighting over the machine. Melanie grabbed hold of Kurt's waist and tried pulling him away.

Kurt was finally pulled away but Rogue acc idently hit a button on the machine.

A pink light shot out of the machine and surrounded Melanie and Kurt. Rogue looked away to shield her eyes from the bright light.

Melanie and Kurt began to fade away with the light until there was nothing left.

Rogue looked back as she threw the machine out of her hands. She stuck her hand in the fading specks of light.

"They're gone!"

The light had taken Melanie and Kurt into a strange version of the school. It was identical to Bayville only...there wasn't anyone there.

"I need to stop grabbing onto you, Kurt."

"Where are we? The Twilight Zone?"

People began forming in the hallways. They appeared for a few seconds before they faded into nothing.

Then Evan and Kitty showed up.

"Scott needs to lighten up."

"Yeah but Kurt needs to know when to quit."

"Ev an!"

"Kitty!" Melanie and Kurt tried to put their hands on the images of their friends only to have them fade through.

"K-Kurt. Where are we?"

"I...I don't know."

Toad was walking around in the parking lot, looking for lunch, when a beetle caught his eye.

Principal Darkholme ruined his chances by parking her car right over the insect.

"Aw! My lunch!"

"You are to stay away from this area, Mr. Tolansky. If I see one drop of slime on my new car, you'll have detention for life. Understand?"

"Oh yes. We're very clear."

Todd stuck his tongue out as she left.

He put his hands in his pockets. Melanie would meet him by the dumpster on the other side of school for lunch. When he reached the dumpster, he found Rogue carrying a strange machine.

"Ooh. What's this?"

"Don't touch it!"

"Why not?"

"Its...never you mind! Just leave it alone!"

"What's the matter? Little Rogue get in some trouble?"

"Trouble? No. There's just a few less X-men to push us around."

"Say what? You mean, you toasted some of those goody-goods with that thing? Wicked."

"Hey! Just leave it alone! You got it, Swamp Breath?"

Rogue walked away as Toad glared at her.

"What is this, Abuse the Toad Day?"

Toad reached into the dumpster and pulled out the machine. He hit the first button several times. A bright light came out of the machine and surrounded the dumpster. Toad jumped away and watched as the dumpster disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part Six.**_

Kurt teleported repeatedly as Melanie looked around the strange school they were trapped in.

"Kurt?"

Melanie rubbed her arms nervously.

Kurt teleported right behind her.

She yelped in surprise.

"Sorry. Wherever we are, I can't teleport out."

"This is way too science fiction!"

A pink light appeared above them as a desk came crashing down.

Kurt pushed Melanie and himself out of the way.

"Now its raining furniture?!"

Toad laughed as he wore his Brotherhood uniform and stood in the Principal's office, the machine Rogue had in his hands.

"See the desk. Don't see the desk. See the chair-"

He pushed the button on the machine and pointed the machine at the chair.

"Don't see the chair," he said as the chair faded with the pink light.

"So, Miss Big Shot, let's see how you like my clean office policy."

The voice of Principal Darkholm e came from the other side of the door. Toad hopped out of the window just as the principal walked in with Jean Grey and Scott Summers. The two had started a fight with Lance Alvers and Fred Dukes after they suspected the Brotherhood's involvement when Kurt and Melanie disappeared.

"I don't care what influence Xavier has with the school board. I am going to get-"

The three looked in the room and found it completely empty.

"What? What happened?! Who took my furniture?!"

Principal Darkholme ran out of the room as Jean and Scott went to the window.

Toad was using the machine to make Principal Darkholme's car vanish.

"Bet I know what happened to Kurt."

Back in the strange world Kurt and Melanie were trapped in, Melanie decided they should split up. She headed for the gym while Kurt continued in the hallways.

A car zapped into the world. Kurt teleported away seconds before he landed on him.

"Scott, look!"

Jean po inted at what appeared to be the ghost of Nightcrawler.

"Its Kurt! Or his ghost."

"No. I got a brief mental reading. Its like he's trapped somewhere."

"Can you sense Melanie?"

"No but I wouldn't doubt that she's there."

"I think we better have a talk with the Toad."

Kurt teleported into the gym where Melanie was sitting in the bleachers.

A shadow appeared behind Nightcrawler.

"Kurt! Behind you!"

He teleported onto the wall above the door. The figure coughed as he walked through the smoke Nightcrawler made when he teleported.

"Whoa. Where'd you guys come from?"

Kurt jumped down as Melanie walked over. The man was spooked by Kurt appearing behind him.

"Relax."

"What are you, man?"

"Do n't let my looks fool you. I'm a harmless blue fuzzball. Really."

"Yeah just don't grab onto him before he teleports to who-knows-where."

"Not helping, Me lanie."

She stuck her tongue out.

"Wait. I know you," Kurt said pointing to the man. "You're the one on the computer screen just before it blew."

Melanie walked over and stood next to Kurt.

"You're right!"

"Yeah. My name's Forge. You two found my lab?"

"Yeah. I guess its seen better days since we stumbled in on it."

"What's with the Halloween getup?" Forge said looking at Kurt.

"No costume. I'm human but I'm a mutant. I know I look strange, but-"

Kurt teleported and reappeared behind Forge.

"There are some fringe benefits."

"Trippy! I thought I was the only one!" Forge lifted his arm as it transformed into metal with wires connecting to claws and other20attachments.

"Way cool! Why am I stuck with a lame power?"

Melanie lifted her hands up and started creating her bubbles.

In the real world, the X-men were chasing after Toad with the machine still in his hands.

Cyclops attempted to hit him but Toad dodged and activated the machine.

"Shadowcat, down!" Jean yelled.

Kitty phased through the ground as the pink light surrounded a birdbath.

The birdbath was sent into the world Melanie, Forge, and Kurt were in.

"Whoa. Someone's really giving that gizmo of yours a workout," Kurt said as he watched Forge work with items Melanie had in her backpack with his .

"That gizmo is a trans-dimensional projector. My science fair project back in '78. When I fired it up it created this pocket dimension that I call 'Middleverse.' I got caught in the ray myself and I've been trapped h ere ever since."

"'78? But you still look-"

"Like I did back then? I know. I can't explain it."

"Does everyone in this town stay young or what?" Melanie muttered. Kurt got up from the table and stood a few feet away.

"They shut down and locked my lab after the accident. Everyone was totally freaked when I disappeared."

"So there's no way back?"

"Not without help from the other side. And I'm thinking that you may be able to help out on that. I'm telling you, I'm ready to go home."

Two girls, or rather the ghost-like figures of two girls from the real world, were laughing as they headed to the locker room. Kurt puffed out his chest and brushed his hair back. They walked passed him and entered the locker room.

"Just how does this Middleverse extend?" Nightcrawler said walking over to Forge.

"Stops just short of the girl's locker room. Isn't that a burn?"

Kur t's face dropped.

"Serves you right, you perverts."

"Melanie!"

"We're young men. We can't help it. Done!"

Forge returned his right arm to normal as Kurt and Melanie looked at what he had done using Melanie's phone, CD player and several other things.

"What is it?"

"This little baby will alter the phase-shift frequency of your teleport power."

"My English is a little limited."

"And I didn't understand anything after 'little baby,'" Melanie said embarrassed.

"Kurt can teleport back into the real world."

"All right!"

"We're going home!"

"But only for a second. These batteries won't last too long. Still, with luck, you can tell somebody how to reset the projector to get us back."

"I just hope t hey don't think I'm joking," Kurt said covering his face with his hands.

With the X-men, they chased the Toad up a tree.

"Get lost! I'm warning you!"

Scott blasted away the branch Toad was sitting on. Toad started to fell as the projector was held in the air by Jean. She brought it down to her as Toad tried to run away. Spyke sent a spike into the back of Toad's uniform that held him dangling against the tree.

"Why don't you stick around for a while?"

"Now..." Scott said kneeling to Toad's eyes and holding his visor.

"Tell us what you did to Kurt and Melanie."

"I didn't do anything!"

Toad put his hands on top of his head for protection.

"He didn't." a voice called out.

"I did."

Everyone turned thier heads to find Rogue lurking in the shadow of a tree.

"If you all wa nna find the two clowns, you better let him go."

Rogue led the X-men to Forge's lab.

"This is where is happened."

Kurt's holo-watch was on the ground in front of Scott.

As he picked it up he glared at Rogue.

"If you hurt them, I'm gonna-"

"You start threatening me...and you're never finding your friends."

Jean stood in between Rogue and Scott as Kurt, Melanie, and Forge watched from the Middleverse.

"Take it easy, Cyclops."

Kurt walked over and placed his hand, somewhat, on Scott's shoulder.

"Yeah. Just like I'm always telling you."

"Guys!"

Shadowcat made everyone turn her way. She was standing next to Spyke, who was holding the projector.

"We've been running a diagnostic on this thing."

"Can you believe it," Spyke said. "It uses CP/M! Talk about retro!"

"Its putting out some kind of, like, steady low-power pulse wave that seems to disappear into thin air."

"And what does that mean?" Cyclops asked.

"We figure that the pulse has trapped Nightcrawler and Burst in some other dimension."

"Okay, then. Let's trash this thing."

Forge started freaking out.

"They have it all wrong! If they destroy the projector, we'll be trapped here!"

Scott set the projector on a table.

"Everybody stand back. I'm gonna use full power on this."

"You know," Kitty said. "I could just phase through the thing and, like, quietly short it out."

Spyke and Cyclops stared at her.

"Forget I mentioned it. What is it with guys and explosives?"

Forge was finishing last minute modifications to the device for Kurt.

"Hurry up, Forge!"

"They're going to nuke the projector any second!"

"Done! It should make you visible, but I was so rushed, I-"

"Just tell me what to do!"

"Press that button and teleport. Tell them not to destory the projector but to reset it."

"Please let this work." Melanie said praying.

Kurt teleported and began to form in front of Scott and the others.

"Reset, don't-" was all Kurt was able to say before he was sent back to Middleverse.

Rogue, Scott, and the others began to question what had just happened.

"What was he saying?"

"He said 'reset, don't.' You know, don't reset it," Spyke said to Scott. "He wants you to blow it up!"

"I swear these guys are obsessed!" Kitty and Melanie said in unison.

"It sounded more like a warning to me. Nightcrawler's a joker but he knows when its time to get serious. Especially with both him and Burst at risk."

"Yes!" Kurt and Melanie chanted jumping around.

"If he wanted us to destory the projector, he would have said 'don't reset,' but he said 'reset' then 'don't.' I think he wants us to reset it."

"Go, Cyclops!"

"You the man!"

Scott looked over the buttons on the projector and found the reset button.

A light came out of the projector and created a hole between the Middleverse and the real world.

"Kurt, teleport through!" Scott yelled.

Before Kurt could, Forge pointed out the batteries. They were dying.

"But look!"

Kurt pointed to the closing hole.

Burst held out her hand and created a large bubble, preventing the hole from closing as fast.

"Another power source? Burst, keep the portal open! Forge, come on!"Kurt teleported with Forge back to the Middleverse while Burst struggled to keep the portal open.

She was so focused on keeping the portal open, she could barely see the Brotherhood barging in and starting a fight with the X-men. It turns out it was Toad who was sending all of the stuff to the Middleverse.

"Kurt, hurry up. I can't keep this portal open much-"

She heard the poof of Kurt's teleporting.

"Jump, Burst!"

When she turned around, she saw in a spilt second the car coming towards her. She jumped up and landed in between Forge and Kurt in the car. The car went through the portal right before it closed. It then crashed into the Blob and the airbags deployed. Forge was holding on tight to Burst, making sure she wouldn't fall out.

"Whoa," Blob said looking at the damaged car. "Its a good thing I'm the Blob."

"You can say that again."

Lance saw the destroyed projector.

"Let's get out of here guys. This party's over."

Forge felt the airbags of the car.

"What are these things?"

"Re-entry cushions. Cool, eh?"

Melanie jumped out of the car and started jumping around.

"That was totally wicked!!"

She then starteed hugging the X-men.

"Evan! I thought I would never see your skateboarding again!! Kitty! I missed your 'like' every two minutes!! And-"

"We get it!"

Everyone left the lab and headed for Scott's car. Rogue watched from a distance and was relieved to see the blue boy and the blonde.

The X-men stood around Scott's car for a little while with Forge.

"You can crash with us for a while if you want, Forge."

"No. I better get home. I'm over twenty years late for curfew. Thanks for bailing me out you two."

"Anytime." the two said doing a special handshake with Forge.

"Hop in. We'll give you a lift."

"Nah. Its only a few blocks."

"Scott, I'm going to go to my car. I'll see you guys later."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Part Seven.**_

At the Brotherhood house, the exhausted men plopped down in the living room.

"I can't believe we lost." Todd said on his bean bag chair.

"It was all because you kept saying how cool that machine was and barely fought for it."

"You were busy flirting with Shadowcat!"

Lance started shaking the ground and sent Todd into the wall.

Quicksilver ran downstairs.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We just fought the X-men. Where were you?"

"Unlike you guys, I have a life that doesn't revolve around them."

Fred, Lance, and Pietro began arguing over who had an=2 0easy life. Todd glanced around the room, wondering how he ended up here. In that glance, he saw a figure walking outside underneath the streetlights.

Todd ran upstairs and went up to his room. As he changed into his normal clothes, he checked out the window.

Melanie was walking around his neighborhood??

He hopped downstairs and snuck out the backdoor.

It took him several minutes to catch up to the spaced out girl. "Melanie!"

She turned around and smiled.

"Hey, Todd."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Scott and the others went to Duncan's party. I just drove my car back to the institute and decided to take a walk."

"Isn't the institute really far off form here?"

"So what? I'm young and beautiful. Maybe not as gifted as my siblings but I can do a lot of impressive things."

The two started walking the empty streets.

"You mean your dozen siblings?"

"Close. I make a dozen. Each one of them has some amazing talent. My four younger brothers, guess what they do?"

"I don't know."

"A boy band!"

He tripped on his shoelaces.

"Boy band??"

"Yep. They call themselves 180. They use an 'M' from thier first names and then make a 'W' for Wilbur using a shadow."

"I've heard of them. Ain't they on a Europe tour?"

"Yeah. They also have a movie deal in the making for once they turn seventeen in two years."

"Are they mutants too?"

"No. Those four are the only ones who don't. The rest of us do. My brothers are constantly singing about people loving each other for thier differences in case mutants are discovered."

He started laughing.

"Sounds stupid."

She smiled and laugh ed.

"That's what I say!!"

"What do they all do?"

"Power-wise or job-wise?"

"Both, I guess."

"First there's Malcolm. His hands can grow to the size of Blob. He works at a big lawyer in New York. He's really close to becoming the A.D.A of New York City."

"Sounds like a boring dude." Todd said picking his ear with his pinky.

"Trust me. He is. Maxwell can rewind time on an object. If something breaks or rusts, he can turn it good as new. I thought one of those guys who digs stuff up like dinosaur bones would be a good job for him but he took up medicine. He's a big cosmetic surgeon. Secretly, he reverses time on some of his clients skin and muscles, easier on equipment and everything."

"Is everyone in your family loaded?"

"Close. They all have high-paying jobs but send money to the bank more than they spend. They all send me an allowance because I'm the youngest daughter. I don't really like spending it unless I want to do something special for someone."

She glanced at Todd but he was fixated on a fly buzzing around him. Or at least he pretended to, in order to hide the blush rising up in his cheeks.

"Martin, the last oldest brother, is a male model who can become invisible. He uses that to avoid the tabloids. Then we have my four older sisters. Wait."

She turned bright red.

"I'm talking way too much again. I'm sorry."

"No. This is cool."

Todd jumped onto a lightpost.

"Your family is wacky. The powers are so random."

She turned red.

"Well Megan is like Blob. She has super-strength. Her job is a stuntwoman for my sister, Mandy. She can possess people by touching them. Her body is sent into people when she possesses them."

"Wait. Wasn't there one before Mandy?"

"You're good. Melody. Her name matches her power because she can hypnotize people with her voice. You would think she would try to be a singer for that but modeling was her calling she said. Maya, the last sister, can transform into any animal, extinct or not. She pretends to be an animal trainer and uses herself in movies. They never figure it out when the animal is there but she isn't."

"Hollywood is full of morons."

He turned around and started stuttering.

"Not that your family is."

"They are."

Her expression changed from happy to depressed.

"They don't understand what it means to be a family anymore."

The two stopped in the park and sat on a bench.

Melanie looked up at the stars.

"Ever since Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, and Dad died, they forgot what it means to have family time. The most we hang out in a year is birthdayparties and even those are short since we're all multiple births. Normally we were supossed to meet for Christmas but now that everyone is famous...they would rather go to big celebrity parties. They only give each other cards since everybody can buy whatever they want. They give me money because they think that since I'm not famous, I'm poor."

She brought her knees up to her chest.

"All I wanted was for someone to just listen to me complain and rant or give me advice when I'm confused. I guess that's why I love hanging out with you."

She got up and held out her hand.

"Let's run away for a bit."

She winked.

"Let's have people talk about us."

Todd laughed happily.

"Yeah. Beats hanging around the Brotherhood house."

The two walked the long distance back to the institute.

"You wait here. I'll grab some stuff and my car."

He nodded.

Once she was inside, Todd started jumping around on the light posts.

It was as if fate had held up a sign that said 'ASK HER OUT!'

Before Melanie went to her room, she went to the Professor. With him was Wolverine.

"Melanie. Are you going to the party?"

"No. I came here to ask you a favor."

The two nodded.

"I'm going to run away for a little bit."

"Um...isn't the point of running away is you don't tell anybody?" Logan asked confused.

"Not literally run away. I just wanna go out for the night and most of tomorrow. I'm going with Toad."

Logan looked like he could have a stroke.

"Slime boy?"

"Yeah. I like him," she said bluntly.

"I have no objections. Just call when you're coming back."

"Do you hear yourself, Chuck? She's going to run away with a Brotherhood."

"I would rather one of them than a man like you, Wolverine."

"What's that supossed to mean?"

"You never stay in one place too long and are always destroying something."

Logan turned around, trying not to admit Xavier was right.

"So I'm taking my car. Jean and the others are at the party. You mind scaring them a bit for me?"

Logan smiled evilly.

"You're coming up with a new training mission aren't you?"

"Yep."

Melanie laughed as she thought of something.

"Hey, is it okay if Toad comes on the property? I mean if he only comes to my room and that's it?"

The professor was hesitant.

"Fine. Just make sure you two aren't..."

"Professor!"

Logan started laughing.

"The girl doesn't know about that stuff yet!"

"I'm out of here."

Before she closed the door, she poked her head in. =0 D

"I may be a virgin but I am on birth-control. Just in case."

Logan looked at Charles.

"Her sisters take them to clear up acne. She does that same."

"Figures for the Hollywood stars."

Melanie went to her room and opened the window. She created a bubble that covered her head and began talking. Once she finished, she guided the bubble over to the anxious Toad.

He saw the bubble floating towards him and wondered what was going on.

The bubble popped and Melanie's voice came out.

"Todd, you can come to my room. I asked the Professor. Just hop the fence and hurry up!"

With a blush on his face, he raced to the direction of where the small bubbles were pouring out of a window.

He hopped up to the second-floor window and looked inside.

Melanie had changed into a blue top and mini-skirt. On her shoulder was a black purse.

"I heard there's awesome nightlife in New York. Of course I never made it because by the time I could go out of Saint Catherine's, it would be 8 and the seven hour drive would take all night."

"Okay but what's with the outfit? Not that I'm complaining or nothing."

"Easy. I thought this could be a date. You should know by now that I like you, right?"

He looked dumbfounded.

"Really?"

"Totally. You're crazy and unpredictable. Plus you aren't obsessed with hygenie. It feels like your making out with a tube of toothpaste if they eat a million mints before hand. I like a guy who's not afraid to get down and dirty."

She grabbed the keys from the dresser when a thought popped into her head.

"Hey...you wanna get in trouble?"

He looked back at her with a devilish grin. She had the same face.

"You're not the goody-two-shoes people make you out to be, are you?"

"I would hope not."

At the Brotherhood house, Lance and the others were falling asleep in the living room with the TV on.

None of them noticed the four little bubbles floating in or the figure creeping over to the key rack and grabbing a set.

As soon as the figure started the engine to the jeep, the bubbles popped.

A chainsaw started!

A woman screamed in terror!

A police siren!

The sounds of gunshots!

The boys fell over from thier positions and each freaked out.

Blob was trying to hide underneath the coffee table, Quicksilver started blocking the door with every piece of furniture he could, and Avalanche ran to get the keys to his jeep. On the key rack was a note.

_Lance,_

_I need your jeep! I have a date! I owe you!_

_The Incredible Toad_

He crumbled up the note and ran outside. There was the spot where he parked his jeep but his jeep was gone.

"Toad!!!!" he screamed as he shook the ground.

"YAHOO!!!"

Toad and Melanie raced down the empty streets and headed out of town.


	8. Chapter 8

**Part Eight.**

"New York City!"

Toad followed Melanie as they drove through the crowded streets of New York.

Melanie turned into a parking lot that had over eight floors to it.

She had to talk to the security guard for a few minutes before he waved the two in. They went up to the top of the eighth floor, where it had a tremendous view of Times Square.

"Wow. This is amazing."

"It should be for over two thousand a year."

"You pay for it?!"

"No. My brothers do. Malcolm lives in the area. That Lexus GS, that's my brother's."

Toad stared in awe at it.

"You think he would let me drive it?"

"No way. I bet we could hot-wire it though."

He turned around and smiled. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. The two stared at each other. Slowly, Melanie leaned her face into his. With quivering lips, Toad closed the gap between the two sets of lips. After several minutes, Toad began to lick Melanie's lower lip with his long tongue.

"How adorable! My little girl is making out with a hood!"

The two pulled apart and saw a girl their age. She was Hispanic with her hair dyed red. Her clothes were all high end, expensive jeans and a t-shirt from a store called 'The Hawk.'

"Ruby?! Is that you?!"

"You bet! Would you let go of the guy and give your Gem sister a hug!" She ran over and tackle-hugged the girl.

Toad watched confused as to who this girl was and mad she had interrupted them.

"What are you doing here?"

"Parents wanted to get me some stuff for my birthday. Thanks for the awesome present! How did you know I needed a new watch?"

"You break more watches than anyone I know! Come on, let me introduce you two."

She pulled the girl over to Todd.

"Todd, this is Amellia. We were students at Saint Catherine's and part of the worst gang at the school, Lady Catherine's Gems. We called her

Ruby and I was Sapphire. Amellia this is-"

"Tolansky. Todd Tolansky." he said in a James Bond voice.

"Your boyfriend's cute. Wait till the sisters get a look at him!"

Melanie turned to Todd.

"I've had a few boyfriends that Opal and Diamond set me up with. Turns out most of them confused me with my sisters."

"Don't you mean all?"

Ruby was punched in the arm.

"You mean all of those guys thought you were someone else?"

"Yeah. It was before they all became famous."

"You mean pains in the ass."

"Ruby, come on."

"All right. You going to see your brother?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. My parents are leaving for another shopping trip so I'll catch you later."

"Hey! How did you even find us?"

"Easy. I saw you guys pull in and ran up the stairs."

She nudged Todd in the gut.

"Be gentle with her, man."

"RUBY! Just get out of here before I throw you over the edge!"

Ruby ran for the stairs, laughing her head off.

"We better head over to my brother's place. Its only a few blocks."

Melanie took Toad's hand in hers.

"I'm sorry about Ruby. We Gems are wild."

"Good. What fun is it if you're like Jean or Kitty?"

She laughed.

"So you don't mind that I'm not a complete girly-girl? I don't dress up and act cutesy. I like making things crazy and move fast."

Toad chuckled.

"No problem here."

"Don't get that kind of idea! You know I didn't mean that!"

He took his hand out of hers and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Fine. Still. I come up with weird nicknames. You mind that?"

"No. Just make sure you don't call me Miss Piggy."

The two made it to the fourteen-floored building.

"Miss Melody! How lovely to see you again!"

"Hello." she said quickly pulling Toad with her.

A young woman looked over as she waited for the elevator.

"Look! Its Mandy!!"

The two got on the elevator. Melanie turned around and looked out to the city through the glass wall.

"Everyone confuses you for the sisters?"

"Yeah. I hate it."

Toad put his arm on her shoulder as she rested her against his chest.

It took a while for them to reach the fourteenth floor where Malcolm lived. Melanie went through her purse and pulled out a key chain with over two dozen keys, some to houses, apartments, cars, and various other things.

Inside was a living room the size of the Brotherhood house but it was far cleaner with a sofa, a chimney, and a bookshelf filled with books.

Most were about business or thick novels.

"Is that you, Isabella?"

"No. Your sister!"

Malcolm walked out of the hallway from the first bathroom. His hair was blonde like Melanie's in a crew-cut. He was wearing a suit, made of the 'finest materials', with a messed up red tie.

"Melanie! What are you doing here?"

"I ran away. This is Todd Tolansky. He's a mutant like us."

Todd turned a slight shade of pink.

"Nice to meet you." Todd said holding out his hand.

"Same here. I'm afraid Isabella and I have reservations at a new French restaurant. You guys wanna come?"

"Yeah. That would be tons of fun. Double dating with my brother."

He laughed. "I guess. You mind, Mel?" he asked pointing to his tie.

She laughed as she helped him with his tie.

"Is it okay if we stay here?"

Malcolm glared at Melanie.

"What?"

"Do you remember what happened when I left Martin in my apartment?"

"That's not fair! Its not like I told him to invite those two girls and promise they could see what it felt like to be with a super model!"

"Still. I couldn't go into that bedroom for weeks after he was in bed with the BOTH of them."

Melanie sighed.

"I understand."

Malcolm pulled out his wallet.

"Here's one of my credit cards. Go shopping. Just please don't spend more than a five thousand."

"Thanks, Malcolm!"

The buzzer rang.

"Malcolm? You there?"

He went over and hit the speaker.

"I'm on my way down."

"I've been working on my French. I'm going to do everything at the restaurant in French," he said proudly as he left. "I'm going to let you guys relax but I want you out of here in half an hour."

"Fine."

Malcolm closed the door as Melanie went to the phonebook.

"What are you doing?"

"Here we go."

The restaurant was surrounded by a heart.

She quickly dialed the number and began speaking French.

Toad started looking around the apartment.

"This place is as big as the Brotherhood house."

There were several pictures on tables, the fridge, and the mantel of the fireplace. Most were of the boys and a few were of the girls. He noticed that the girls in the pictures were all on stage or on a movie set. One picture stood out. It was one of the quintuplets when they were around ten. She was playing the violin with several other children playing different instruments as well.

"OK! I'm done!"

Melanie walked over and saw Toad looking at the picture.

"That's before everyone turned Hollywood."

"Is that you?"

"You could tell?"

"The smile on your face as your playing. You always have that smile."

"This is the only picture of me on this mantel. Everyone else is so photogenic that he gets a lot of pictures of them."

"Do you still play the violin?"

"A little. Maybe we should go before Malcolm finds out what I just did."

The two left the apartment and headed to the elevator.

"What'd you do?"

"I called the restaurant and spoke to the manager. I told him that Malcolm doesn't speak French well but wants to impress his girlfriend. I also told him that they wanted snails taken out of the shells on top of pasta with Alfredo sauce."

Toad laughed.

"Wicked!"

They made it out of the building, with several people confusing Melanie for one of her sisters.

"So what should we do first? I've never been here where I actually had money to spend."

"I kind of want to make it up to Lance for you stealing his ride."

"Me stealing?! It was your idea!"

"But you left the note, Incredible Toad."

He smirked. "Bad and beautiful. What a combination."

Toad and Melanie returned to the parking lot and drove Lance's jeep to an auto shop. They drove inside where everything was locked behind chains, bars, and other security features.

"Joseph! Joseph you here?"

A man walked in with a large set of goggles on his face. His hair was all shaved off, although it was merely a poor attempt to hide his recent premature balding. He wore a paint-stained blue uniform.

"Mel-Mel! What brings you back so soon?"

"We stole my friend's jeep."

"You know I got out of the chop shop-"

"Not that! I wanted to fix it up a little! Put a new stereo system, new tires."

"What's the price limit?"

"I'd say...a thousand?"

"Okay. You wanna pick it up tomorrow?"

"Fine."

"So who's the guy hiding outside?"

Toad sheepishly walked in.

"Who is he? Your boyfriend?"

"Todd Tolansky. Todd, this is Joseph, also known as Four-eyes. He's the best mechanic in the world. "

"You ain't gettin' a discount."

Melanie stuck her tongue out at him.

"See you tomorrow."


	9. Chapter 9

**_Part Nine._**

"Where do you want to go now?"

"It doesn't matter to me."

Melanie stopped.

"Would you mind if we backtracked a little?"

"Huh??"

"Its my old house. Its between Bayville and New York City. You mind if we went?"

"Sure."

Todd and Melanie drove her Tahoe out of New York City and towards the old Wilbur Mansion. On the way, Todd fell asleep.

Melanie stopped the car in front of the house and took a deep breath.

"Todd. Todd, wake up."

He was snoring.

She sighed and let him sleep. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she got out of the car.

In front of her was the charred remains of a mansion. The structure was sound but there were signs of construction that was given up years ago.

"I can't believe it's been thirteen years."

Melanie walked inside and looked around.

The fire had started in the living room after one of the children had their powers awaken too early for them to control.

"Morgan," Melanie whispered.

Morgan Wilbur. Current age would have been twenty-eight. Martin Wilbur the first had tried to awaken her full power when they first presented.

She set the living room on fire and immediately killed Martin.

Abigail tried to run back through the kitchen to save the maid, Sonya, who had a room in the basement. The fire had gotten their quicker than she thought and trapped her underneath a piece of broken ceiling in the kitchen.

Melanie fought back tears as she remembered the screaming. The sound of fire growing and growing as it tore apart the home.

Until then, there was only one attempt to rebuild the home.

Martin II and Kim were still severely hurt from the fire and died after construction began.

Family members begged the workers to stop. They didn't want anything to do with the home.

Melanie went into the kitchen and traced her hand on the doorway. There were old marks with pencil marks. It was a growth chart.

She burst into tears and sobbed on the ground.

"Mommy...Daddy..."

The old wood creaked as she moved around the kitchen.

"Pop-Pop...Nana..."

The floor caved in and sent Melanie crashing into the basement.

The room was damaged by the fire but the signs on the walls were still visible.

The sounds of the floor creaking came from upstairs.

"H-Hello? Todd?"

Suddenly, the building collapsed. She was trapped in a pocket in the corner of the basement.

The sound of crashing wood and glass woke Todd up from his sleep.

He looked at the building and around for Melanie.

He hopped over to the rubble.

"Melanie? Sugar Plum? You here?"

She screamed out his name.

"Melanie!"

She was paralyzed in fear.

"T-Todd. I-I can't move."

"Hold on. I'll get you-"

When he tried to hop towards where he heard her voice but the pile of debris crashed down on top of Melanie.

"Toad!"

Todd looked around nervously.

"Hold on, Melanie! I'll be right back!"

She waited, trapped under the remains of her old home for what felt like hours.

"Where are you, Todd?" she whispered.

Using her power would have been too dangerous since the bubble might pop against the sharp wood and glass.

She wasn't sure how much the bubble could last.

"Its times like this I wish I had one of my siblings' powers."

The ground shook around her as she felt the building quickly being moved away.

A sudden blur squeezed through the wreckage.

"You okay?"

"Quicksilver?"

He grabbed her and pulled her out.

Avalanche, Blob, and Toad, all in uniform, stood around her.

"Sweetums!" Toad said hugging her.

"H-How did you guys get here?"

"Toad ran back to Bayville in your car."

"I convinced them to come here and help me rescue you," Toad said before he was smacked by his teammates.

"Speaking of cars..."

Lance grabbed Toad by the collar and yanked him up to eye level.

"Where is mine?!"

"Relax. I think you're gonna like what Melanie had planned."

Melanie was too tired. She fainted but could feel them moving her into her car.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Part Ten.**_

Melanie slowly started to wake up in something warm.

"You finally waking up?"

She looked up and saw Blob holding her.

"Fred? What happened?"

Quickilver turned around. He was sitting up front with Lance driving. Blob and Melanie were in the middle section of the Tahoe and Toad was in the back.

"Well let's start at the beginning. You guys stole Lance's jeep, ran away to New York City, ordered your brother snails, took Lance's jeep somewhere, came to some mansion that should've been torn down ages ago, and it collapsed on you."

She laughed.

Quicksilver grabbed Melanie's purse.

"Your brothers and sisters called too. They all said they were sorry they didn't warn you but didn't know you would be foolish enough to go back there."

"I thought it was safe!"

"You thought? You weren't sure?!"

"Who ever is?"

Blob and Quicksilver groaned as Lance started laughing.

"Thanks for saving me guys. Let me make it up to you when we make it to the city."

It only took a few minutes.

"Your brothers and sisters said they wired money to your account in case you needed to go to the hospital and for you to feel better."

"Good. I can repay you guys by taking you out shopping and for lunch and dinner."

Blob perked up.

"You're gonna regret that, Melanie," Toad said.

"If they wired money, they each gave me quite a lot. I'm the youngest and they love spoiling me."

"Toad told us they're high-class millionaires."

"How'd you keep that secret at school?"

"I'm as amazed as you are. I guess no one made the connection."

The five made it into the parking lot and started walking around New York City.

"I don't know if you guys are hungry. Its around seven. Want to go for breakfast? There."

The five walked into a place called The Morning Glory.

"Its only open at breakfast time," Melanie said as the boys looked at the hours.

"Open seven days a week for five hours? Do they have good business?"

"They will today," Blob said rubbing his hands together.

The doors opened and the five walked in.

"Hi. I want to rent the entire restaurant for today. Just charge everything on this card."

The manager looked amazed as he took the car and led them to the VIP room.

The room had only one booth but was amazingly wide enough for Blob to sit in and still have room for Toad to sit next to him. Lance, Pietro, and Melanie sat across.

Five waiters and waitresses came in, each tending to the teenagers individually.

With the entire kitchen cooking for only them, it was no wonder the food came so quick.

"This is amazing!"

"This beats old cereal any day!!"

The boys ravenously devoured the food as Melanie watched amused.

Around ten, the five left the restaurant.

"That place is the best!"

"No wonder people were mad they couldn't get in!"

Melanie locked arms with Pietro and Todd.

"You guys are worth it. Now I want to buy you guys stuff! Come on!"

Lance was hesitant but Melanie and Pietro convinced him to try on some suits at a tailor.

Todd was with Blob as another tailor tried to get all the measurements.

"Pietro, don't you want a suit? This guy is one of the best."

"I can make my own suit."

Melanie smacked Pietro in the arm.

"Do you guys think I'm doing this only because you saved me."

"Uh...yeah?" he said confused.

"No. I want to get to know you guys. Not just because Toad and I are going out. You guys are like me. Why can't you fight the X-men but I'm your friend?"

Pietro groaned.

"Fine. I'll get a suit."

Pietro smiled at Melanie and she smiled back.

"Hey!"

Toad hopped over.

"Why are you two smiling?"

"I just asked Melanie to marry me and she said yes."

Melanie shoved Pietro into a rack of clothes.

Toad looked at the two confused as they laughed.

Lance was trying to escape from the tailor but his assistants pulled him back.

It took another hour but the boys ended up getting two suits each.

"Do we have to lug these things around now?" Lance asked disdainfully.

"No."

Melanie picked up her phone and hit a speed dial.

"Joe? It Mel. My friend's ride ready? Okay. Around seven? Thanks. Hey, that service Mandy uses when she's here, what's the number? You too. Bye-bye."

She hung up and started hitting buttons on the phone.

"Hello? I'd like a day-long. Around seven. There's five. Just one. Do you guys always ask that? I don't know. Just random. I'm on..."

The boys sat on a bench as Melanie gave their current location to whoever she was talking to.

She hung up the phone a few minutes later.

"Just a few more minutes guys. I'm sorry."

"Who did you call?"

"A car service. Mandy, my shopping-obsessed sister, uses them when she goes on shopping sprees. They trail her and she just unloads them in it. So anything you guys really want? The sky's the limit! As long as its not illegal!"

"Is it okay for you to be talking like that in the middle of a busy sidewalk?"

About thirty people were staring at the five.

"Why not? I can talk however I want! I'm a woman, hear me roar!!"

Melanie started spinning through the crowd as people stared at her.

"Toad, you're girlfriend's insane."

"I know," Toad sighed happily. "Ain't she hot?"

Melanie looked to the street and looked back at the boys.

"Hey, our ride is here."

The Brotherhood looked over and smiled.

"No way!"

"Are you serious?!"

A Ford Excursion limo was approaching them.

"When I take my friends out, I have to do it in style don't I?"

Toad hugged her.

"You are the best girlfriend on the planet!!"

The limo parked and the boys hopped in not a second after.

"Look at this!"

"There's a phone in here?!"

"A TV too!!"

"Look at this mini fridge!"

"I made sure there wasn't any alcohol since I was driving minors," the chauffeur said opening the glass between the front of the limo and the back.

"Thanks. So what were you guys looking for?"

The driver spent the entire day driving the teens around, the back quickly piling up with bags.

Around seven, the driver dropped Melanie off at the parking lot where her car was. She gave him the location of the auto shop before she turned to Pietro.

"Pietro, you mind helping me get this stuff to the top?"

"Sure."

Melanie took a few bags and headed to the elevator. When she got off, Pietro was waiting at her car with over thirty bags already there.

"You want me to just carry the bags in my car and you guys can ride in Lance's jeep?"

"Make up your mind."

He zipped back downstairs before she could smack him.

It only took a few seconds for all of the bags to be brought up and stuffed into the Tahoe by Pietro.

"The guys and me are going ahead."

"I'll see you there."

Pietro zipped back downstairs as Melanie started up her car.

At the auto shop, Joseph was waiting outside.

Lance and the other stepped out of the limo, eagerly awaiting what the jeep looked like.

"Hey, everything turn out okay?"

"This thing seriously needed upgrades. I changed the oil, the brakes, the stereo, and the tires."

He opened the garage door and showed the updated jeep.

"My ride!" Lance said happily.

"Check it out!"

"This is awesome!"

The boys admired their new ride as Melanie handed over her credit card.

"You okay, Melanie? Martin the III called and told me your old house collapsed on top of you."

"I'm fine."

She glanced over at the boys.

"They saved me."

The boys and Melanie left the auto shop and started the drive home.

Melanie picked up her phone.

"Hello? Professor?"

"Melanie. How was New York City?"

"Great. I usually don't get to go unless its a break from school. Its nice just being able to with friends any old day."

"Good. Everyone here misses you."

"Oh yeah! What did Logan do?"

"He made them search for you, pretended you were kidnapped."

"Wonderful."

"They don't know you went with the Brotherhood."

"Yeah. I didn't plan on them coming but I got to know them. Fred really likes food but he is good at cooking too. Pietro makes clothes in less than a minute! I can picture him being a clothing designer in the future."

"So long as you had fun. Are you coming straight home?"

"I think. I'm exhausted. I'm carrying the stuff so I have to make sure we didn't lose anything."

"All right. See you later."

"Bye, Professor. And thanks."

Melanie reached the Brotherhood house a little while later.

"All right. Your new furniture should be coming in a day or two."

When she looked inside, the living room was completely empty.

"No wonder you guys needed a TV, an armchair, and a couch."

"Mystique hasn't really gotten around to buying us that stuff yet."

The boys started unloading Melanie's Tahoe and were talking about how awesome the day was. They decided to leave most of it in the living room until later. Toad was sitting on a bean bag chair she bought for them.

"Thanks for everything, Melanie."

"You aren't a total X-geek after all."

She laughed.

"I had a lot of fun too. Bye guys."

She was about to leave when she thought of something.

"I forgot something."

They looked at her confused as she walked back into the living room. Melanie lifted Toad's chin up from the chair and kissed him.

"That's mine," she said leaving.

The boys started whooping and hollering as soon as she left the house.

At the institute, Kurt was waiting in the front of the mansion.

"Kurt? What's up?"

"Logan is going ballistic. Kitty started a fight with Spyke and he started shooting spikes everywhere. Jean's door was broken down by it when she was changing and she thought Scott did it. He's yelling at everyone."

She laughed.

"Hey, I got you some stuff. Want to help me get it up to my room?"

"Sure!" he said excited.

She opened the back of her Tahoe.

"I don't have a lot. Just about ten or fifteen bags."

"What's mine?"

"You're like a kid!"

He smiled.

"I bought you some new clothes, you know to wear to school or around here."

"Thanks."

He teleported with a few bags and teleported back.

"You're lucky, Kurt. I wish I could-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she poofed into smoke and landed on her bed.

Kurt teleported in a few seconds later.

"How did you do that?!"

"I...I don't-"

She teleported again back to the Tahoe.

Kurt stuck his head out her window. Once he saw her, he teleported back to her.

"Kurt, what's going on?"

"Come on. Let's go see if the Professor can help."

Nervously clutching to Kurt's hand, she walked with him into the mansion.

Kurt knocked on the Professor's bedroom door.

A few seconds later, the Professor came out.

"Kurt? Melanie? What is it?"

"Professor, something happened with Melanie. She teleported!"

Is this true, Melanie?"

She shyly nodded her head.

"Show me. Teleport to the end of the hallway."

She looked down and tried to think of what made her teleport.

After a few minutes, she faded away and reappeared at the end of the hallway.

"Interesting. Let's talk in the study."

The three went to the study where Logan was watching the fire.

"What's the matter?" he said getting up.

"Melanie's developed a new power. I'm going to enter her mind and see if I can find out any information."

Melanie and Kurt sat down on the couch as the Professor went in front of Melanie. Logan leaned against the wall, curious.

"Try to relax, Melanie," the Professor said placing his hands on her head.

She took several deep breaths before the Professor entered her mind.

At first, it was all of Saint Catherine's and Bayville High but he reached a suppressed memory. It was the night of the fire. Martin wasn't focusing only on Morgan when he tried to bring out her powers. It was Morgan and Melanie. Abigail, Kim, Martin Senior, and Martin Junior were in the room with the girls. Melanie could tell who they were by their voices but the memory was old. She couldn't see them completely. Only faceless phantoms.

Kim was holding Melanie on her lap as the mother created bubbles out of her hand. She looked exactly like Melanie in the future.

"I don't understand this, Dad. Why is Morgan able to create fire and so can Melanie?"

Melanie hiccuped and bubbles came out of her mouth, the same as her mother's.

"Melanie's power...it might be something like a mimic."

The man turned to his son.

"Junior. Use your power. Focus on Melanie."

Martin the II kneeled down as his eyes changed green, the only feature Melanie could remember. He focused on his daughter's skeleton.

Melanie's eyes turned purple as she looked at her father curiously.

"Once she sees a power, she molds it into her own design."

Martin Senior turned to the older sister.

"Sorry, Morgan. We didn't forget about you."

"N-No its okay."

She looked away. The older girl was in a pink dress with roses on it. Her hair was blonde and down to her mid-back.

"I worry about her. She's four but doesn't get along with our sisters and brothers as well. What happens if she's in trouble? I want to be there for her."

Abigail put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"You're very mature for a ten-year-old."

Martin Senior went over to his first granddaughter.

"Show us your power."

Morgan looked around the room and saw the candles in the corner.

Melanie watched as her sister squinted her eyes and created the fire.

"Wonderful control, Morgan!"

"Great job!"

Melanie laughed as she waved her arms. The walls in the corner burst into flames and caught on Martin Senior. He screamed as he tried to roll out the fire. Abigail ran to the kitchen as Melanie continued to wave her arms.

"Morgan, try to get Melanie to calm down!" Kim screamed as she and Martin Junior ran upstairs to get the other kids out of the house.

"Melanie! Melanie!"

The four-year-old started to cry as the fire swarmed around her.

"Melanie!"

Morgan fadded into nothing, leaving Melanie crying on the ground.

The Professor was confronted by something in Melanie's mind.

"Get me out of here!!"

Suddenly, the Professor broke the contact with Melanie. Whatever he found in her mind, started screaming in Melanie's head.

She fell to the ground, clutching her head, her fingers slowly turning red with blood.

Melanie disappeared into nothing and reappeared in the opposite corner of the room...and she wasn't alone.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Part Eleven.**_

The Professor, Kurt, and Logan watched as Melanie teleported herself into the corner of the study, with a figure standing next to her.

She turned around and faced a girl that looked similar to her and was her age but with blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Wh-Who are you?"

She groaned.

"What? I-I'm finally out? Finally!!"

The seventeen-year-old danced around, screaming in joy.

"Who are you?" Melanie asked again.

"Melanie...this is Morgan."

"Hey, sis."

Melanie stared at the girl.

"But how?"

"When Morgan was holding you, your powers accidently mimiced Martin. You rearranged her body and sent it into your own. She's been in your body since then. Her personality has been with you ever since. In a way, like Multiple Personality Disorder. Whenever you needed her, she would take over."

"I'm the one who helped you with all of those tests at Saint Catherine's! Those were murder!"

Morgan laughed.

Melanie stared at her with a sad expression.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she whispered as she hugged her.

"Quit apoligizing! This was the best! I hated how our siblings treated you! At least I could make sure you weren't planning on hurting yourself!"

Logan walked over.

"Why do you two look exactly the same?"

"When Morgan was trapped inside Melanie for all of those years, her body started to mirror Melanie's. The only difference is that Melanie has blue eyes and Morgan has brown eyes."

Morgan ran over to Kurt and eagerly shook his hand.

"Its wicked awesome to meet you! Guten tag!"

Kurt looked at Morgan and back at Melanie.

"When I was little, the school I went to taught German and French at younger ages, to make sure they stuck."

Kurt and Morgan started talking in German, way too fast for Melanie to even guess what they were saying.

"So what are we supossed to do with her? Enroll her at school and say 'This is Melanie's twenty-eight-year-old sister?' Its not-"

"We'll just have to make some alterations."

The next day at school, Melanie and Morgan walked into school.

Nearly everyone looked at them and started whispering.

"Hey...maybe I should change my name. I never did like Morgan, really. I like Melinda better."

"Its your new life. Do what you want."

"Like ask out Kurt?"

Melanie stared at her sister.

"What?"

"It took me forever to ask Todd out and you decide in one night you like Kurt?!"

"I've been living inside of you for years. I'm the one who actually made you go over to him on the train."

Melanie looked away, deep in thought.

"Don't worry. I never interfered in your relationship with Todd or the other Brotherhood guys. I wasn't that in control of your body."

Melanie and Melinda snuck over to where the Brotherhood hung out in the morning. Pietro was wearing a new outfit he made, probably in only five seconds, from the fabrics he got in New York. Lance was staring out the window at his jeep, stars in his eyes. Todd glanced around as if waiting to find something.

"Toad, chill. Melanie should be here soon."

"Hey guys!" Melinda said walking over.

Pietro, Fred, and Lance smiled.

Toad looked at her confused.

"You okay? You don't seem yourself," Toad asked looking at her. Melanie walked over and waved to the boys. Todd stared in awe of the identical sisters in front of him.

"Melanie," Lance asked. "How many sisters do you have?"

"Now I have five identical sisters."

Pietro started strangling Todd.

"You suck man!! Do you have any idea what an awesome family your girl's got?! If these guys were into it, you could have a sevensome!!!"

Melanie and Melinda stood in front of the boys, glaring.

"Forget it."

"Ew."

The classes seemed to be endless as everyone stared at the girls in the classes. Principal Darkholme put the girls in separate classes, to help the teachers, but when they were in the hall, everyone thought it was the coolest thing that they looked identical.

At lunch, the girls took a table for themselves.

Kurt walked over.

"Hey, Kurt. This is Melinda."

"Ah. I get it. Avoid any confusion."

"Yeah. So what's up?"

"I wanted to see if you guys wanted to sit with us."

Melinda turned red and said "I'll sit with you, Kurt."

He smiled as they walked away.

Melanie sighed as she got up and went to find her boyfriend.

He was by the dumpster outside of school.

"Hey, Todd," she said sitting next to him.

He smiled.

"There's my Sugar Plum."

Todd draped an arm around her waist.

"I like that."

She pulled out a plum from her purse.

"Fits you perfectly."

He caught another fly with his tongue.

"How is your sister doing?"

"Good. Melinda's hanging out with Kurt. At least my other siblings aren't here."

"I could just imagine all the Wilbur's in the Yearbook. A full page worth!"

Toad missed a fly with his tongue.

Melanie looked at her boyfriend and remembered last night.

She discovered her power was really mimickry.

Should she tell him? Logan, Professor X, and Kurt knew. Why wouldn't she tell her boyfriend?

"T-Todd?"

He recaptured the fly with his tongue.

"Yeah?"

"There's...there's something I need to tell you?"

He slid back.

"There isn't another set of girls who look exactly like you, is there?"

She laughed.

"No. I...found something out about my power."

She looked up at the numerous flies in the air and tried to focus on Toad's power.

Her tongue felt to grow in her mouth before it shot out a good ten feet, catching three flies, and going back into her mouth.

Toad watched as his girlfriend moved closer to him.

"I can...mimic other people's powers. If I saw the power, I could do it."

The bell rang.

"We better go. Meet me in our spot later, okay?"

She kissed him on the cheek before she ran inside.

Toad slowly got up and went to his class.

Melanie's power was even more amazing than he thought...but what should he do? Tell The Brotherhood and Mystique? What would they do?

If he wasn't careful, the Brotherhood could call him a traitor or try to use Melanie's power for their use.

Principal Darkholme walked into the classroom.

"Todd Tolansky, come with me."

He swallowed as he got up.

In the office, Fred, Pietro, and Lance were there.

They went into the room and sat wherever they could.

"So, you all met the Wilbur siblings, correct?"

"Y-Yeah. So?" Fred asked nervous.

"They don't have any idea about the power they could have. Melanie can mimic any power she sees..."

Toad stared out the window.

How did she find out? Was she watching them?

"Melinda can create fire."

Todd, Pietro, and Fred tried to keep their eyes from meeting Mystique's. They couldn't risk showing how they felt about the girls. Even Lance was fidgetting in his chair about the subject.

"So, you're all going to try and convince them to join the Brotherhood."__


	12. Chapter 12

_**Part Twelve.**_

Melanie and Melinda decided to walk around town after school.

"What do you think of Bayville?"

"I was inside your head so I'm used to this place," Melinda said.

"I am glad that I can finally have people talk to me instead of watch people talk to you."

Melinda yawned.

"I have all boring classes. That one girl is in one of my classes...Kitty?"

"Cool. Which class?"

"Home Ec. She's pretty good at sewing."

"Just wait till you get to cooking."

"I like physics. Really makes you think what the universe would be like without the study. I wish they had a longer Phy. Ed. class though."

They laughed as they went through the park.

"Hey. This is where Todd took you when he showed you around town...wait! We took the exact same route!"

Melanie blushed.

"So what?"

"You are just trying to see if Toad is around here aren't you?!"

"I am insulted! I try to show my beloved sister around the neighborhood-"

"Sugar Plum!"

Toad hopped over and hugged his girlfriend tightly as her sister glared.

"You girls want to come over to my place?" Todd asked with a grin.

"Forget what Pietro said! We ain't doing it!" Melinda yelled.

Todd burst out laughing.

"No. I figured you guys could hang out for a while."

Toad locked arms with Melanie, since they both thought hand-holding was a bit out-of-date, as they walked to the Brotherhood of Bayville house. Pietro was playing solitare, about three games at super speed, as Fred was eating a sandwich.

"Hey everybody!" Melanie said popping down on the couch.

Melinda started pulling out her homework.

"Melinda! You're doing your homework now?!"

"What?! I don't want to do this tonight! Unlike these boys, I believe homework should be done at home. Not homeroom."

"Its a pain. Melanie helps me with it anyway," Todd said as he sat on the beanbag.

Lance came in through the back, wiping grease off his hands.

"Aw great! This place is turning into a girl dorm!"

"You're saying that like its a bad thing."

Melanie's phone started to ring. She got up and went outside, Todd watching her.

"I don't know about you, but my girl is definitely the hottest out of all of you sisters."

Melinda snapped and bombarded Todd.

Lance went back outside to work on his car when he saw Melanie pacing in the yard. She was on the phone with Scott.

"Are you okay?"

"My brother called the institute. He wants to check out everything and make sure I'm okay."

"You're dating Toad," Lance said underneath his jeep, "You need to get your head examined."

Melanie giggled and crawled under the car.

"Why are you working on the jeep? Joseph just fixed it."

"I'm not really working on it but it keeps the guys from bugging me."

She sighed.

"My brother is such an uptight guy. He'll never accept the fact that I'm hanging around with teens fighting with one another every other day, dating one of the bad guys, and my math grade is barely a ninety."

"Why is that grade bad? This stuff is normal for a girl our age."

"He was the top of his class in high school, my brothers second and third. Its my 'duty' to get the same grades."

"If you ask me, your brothers should grab their diplomas and awards and shove'em up their-"

"I know. They mean well but sometimes they push too hard."

"Why don't you just tell them that?"

"I don't want to disappoint them."

"Why not?"

"I'm not a millionaire and even my little brothers are getting towards a platnium album. I just don't want everyone calling me the 'loser sibling.' I don't want to be like them but I don't want to be useless."

Lance smacked her in the head with a wrench.

"Get a grip. Who says you have to be perfect?"

She stared at him dumbfounded.

"You look like your siblings but you aren't them, right? What's the problem with being an ordinary mutant?"

"What's your definition of ordinary?"

"Knowing when to scream when they want to scream. Do what they want, not what others tell them to. Just don't let people get on your back. Like those X-men."

"I guess. I mean the X-men thing took it a little too far but thanks."

"You keep Toad out of the house. We owe you."

"I better get home. Will you tell Melinda when you get inside?"

"Sure."

She poofed into smoke and appeared in her room.

"I wonder why I'm not limited to Kurt's two-mile distance thing," Melanie said out loud.

Melanie got off her bed and headed for Kurt's room.

"Kurt? You there?"

He came out brushing his fur.

"What's up?"

"You want to help me out for an experiment?"

"What can I do?"

"Get ready in about half an hour. Meet me in my room."

Before he could ask anything else, she headed back to her room and logged onto the computer.

Thirty minutes later, Kurt knocked on her door.

"Melanie?"

"Come in."

He walked in and saw papers everywhere.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to test something. My grandfather could alter a person's DNA and I wanted to see if I could change a person's powers."

"Am I a test subject?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah. Don't worry. I won't kill you."

She handed him some papers.

"I want to see if I could change how far you can go. Now your limit is two miles. I can guess that if I do this right, you could get half-way around the world. Take a look at these maps. We'll start in New York and then work our way to other states."

"I don't know about this."

"Kurt."

She took his hands in hers.

"Just once. If you don't like it, we can stop."

He sighed.

"A-All right."

It was late. Far past the time Melinda expected Melanie to be back home. Lance came in the house an hour after he went out to work on his jeep when he said Melanie left. Toad freaked out and was mad he didn't tell them sooner. She left the Brotherhood House at four. Now it was quarter to ten and Melanie and Kurt were missing.

Professor X said they were doing an experiment but Melinda was...jealous.

She hated herself for it but she had a big crush on Kurt. Knowing he was alone with Melanie just made her blood boil.

Suddenly Kitty phased through Melinda's wall.

"Kitty! Can't you knock? You scared me!"

"You won't believe what Kurt and Melanie did! Come on!"

The two ran down to the study where Kurt and Melanie looked like tourists.

"And then we went to Maui! It is so beautiful!"

Kurt saw Melinda and went over to her as he rummaged through his pocket.

"Here, Melinda."

He handed her a bracelet with hand-crafted beads, each unique in color and design.

"We got it from a Native American reserve in the west! Do you like it?"

She put it on and said thank you a dozen times.

Melanie looked over to Melinda and smiled.

Melinda looked away.

Kurt and Melanie continued to tell how they went across the country, going as far as Maui. It was a long shot but with Melanie's help, Kurt could go as far as three thousand miles.

Professor X was impressed but urged them to be careful.

No sooner had he said it, Melanie sat down in a seat and instantly fell asleep.

Kurt and Melinda carried her to her room.

"I have to take you with us next time. There were so many things! I saw the big arch in St. Louis, the presidents at Mount Rushmore, and the movie stars in Los Angeles! We saw your sister, Maya, on her way to a movie."

Melinda was still red from when he said he wanted her to come.

"Um, Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"I was...um...I wanted to...know if you...wanted to do something this weekend."

"Okay," he said nervously.

Kurt felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he glanced at Melinda.

"What did you guys do wherever you went?"

"Melanie talked about you a lot. She said how you're such a good sister and one of the coolest girls she knows. I think she told me to ask you out as soon as we got back about a dozen times. I'm glad you asked first. I get too nervous."

After Melinda threw Melanie in her room, in order to spend more time with Kurt, she led him to his room.

"So are you free Friday?" Kurt asked.

"Um, around six would be good."

He smiled and went into his room.

Melinda quickly ran down the hall to Melanie's room.

"Melanie, I love you!" Melinda jumped on top of Melanie who was laying in bed.

Melinda kissed her sister.

"Melinda!"

Outside they heard a series of branches break.

The two looked outside and saw an unconsious Todd on the ground with a smile on his face.

"Todd?"

Melanie used her powers to lift Todd up to the room.

Melinda slapped him in the face a few times to wake him up.

"Toad? Toad?"

Toad snapped awake and looked at the girls.

"I wanted to see where Melanie went before. You guys can continue if you want-"

Melinda hit him in the head.

"Ow! I was kidding...kind of."

Melanie grabbed a bag from the other side of the room.

"Here, Toad. I got you some things."

One was an actual cookbook on how to make bug cuisine, a box of Hawaiian fire ants coated in candy, and a few containers with insects from different states.

"I didn't know if they would taste any different from the insects here but I thought maybe you would like them."

"How did you get all of this?"

"Melanie helped Kurt's powers! She increased his teleportation powers by over a thousand!"

"Melinda," her sister said embarrassed.

Toad swallowed hard.

Melanie smiled at her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry if I worried you, Todd. Are you mad?"

"No. Just see if you can make it so I can jump a thousand feet in the air."

The girls giggled as Todd hopped around the room.

He noticed a picture on the dresser.

"What's this?"

"No!"

He picked it up and turned red.

"Where did you get this?"

"P-Pietro took it and gave it to me."

Melinda took the photo and saw a picture of Todd and Melanie making out behind the school.

"He gave you one and not me?"

Melanie kissed her boyfriend on the cheek.

Todd hesitantly kissed her on the lips.

What if Mystique found this out? Its bad enough the girl he's crazy about can copy any power but now she can strengthen powers? He either found the most amazing woman on the planet or the one with the worst luck.

"I'm leaving. I don't want to watch my sister make out with her boyfriend."

With that, Melinda left the room.

Melanie pulled away and guestered a seat on the bed next to her.

Todd layed back in the soft bed, inhaling Melanie's scent from the pillows.

"Hey, we have to go on this weird survival training camp thing next week. Some people from our school are going too. Professor X is kind of forcing us to go."

"What happens if you don't?"

"We have the survival training with Wolverine."

Toad pretended to shake in fear.

"Good choice."

"Why don't you see if you and the Brothers would go to? It wouldn't be so bad if you guys were there."

He groaned and put a pillow over his face.

"I don't know, Sugar Plum."

Melanie yanked the pillow away and got on top of him.

"Please?" she whispered against his neck before she nibbled at his ear.

He groaned in pleasure as he pulled her body closer.

She moved her mouth every several seconds to breathe her hot breath on his neck.

...

"And it would be a good training exercise!"

The Brotherhood stared astonished at their friend who practically broke down the front door on the way in.

That and the fact his neck was showing fresh love-bites.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger," Pietro said rushing over to Todd and looking at his neck.

"It should be a crime against nature for her powers!"

"Her mutant powers?"

"No! Her temptress powers!"__


	13. Chapter 13

_**Part Thirteen.**_

The survival camp was led by Sergeant Hawk and was held in the mountain area in northern New York. The man looked around the forties but was in top physical condition. He wore a thick pair of sunglasses and an army hat on his head.

All of the X-kids were there except Melinda, who faked the flu to get out of training so well, she got sick. They were weach wearing easier-to-move-in clothes and boots. Melanie was wearing a super-short pair of jean shorts and a blue, low-cut top. Much like Jean.

The Brotherhood was there along with a portion of students from Bayville High.

"You will not be making wallets, necktie racks, or paperweights. You will not engage in potato-sack races, water-balloon tosses, or pony rides. You will be taking 20-mile hikes, rappelling 200-foot cliffs, and crossing treacherous water with no more than a rope and courage you can muster. Do you read me?"

"Yes, Sergeant Hawk, sir," the students replyed.

"I said do you read me?" the Sergeant yelled.

"Yes, Sergeant Hawk, Sir!"

"Welcome to Iron Back Survival Camp, a name you won't soon forget."

The Sergeant stood in front of Scott.

"Now, here we have a young man, Scott Sumner."

"Summers."

"Whose scholastic achievements at Bayville High earned him the rank of group leader. You will be following his lead. You've got 10 minutes to stow your gear and report to the training field. Dismissed!"

As the Sergeant walked away from Scott, the Brotherhood glared. The students began pulling their stuff out of the school bus behind them as the X-kids each reacted differently to the camp.

Kitty sat on her backpack and said "I'm gonna die in, like, two days."

Evan turned to her. "What about me? I'm a city kid!"

Kurt looked over to Scott and Jean. "What did we ever do to deserve this?"

Rogue picked up her stuff. "I'm going AWOL. Anyone know how to hitwire a school bus?"

Scott pulled her back. "Slow down, private. We can't wimp out in front of the entire school. Besides, Professor X endorses this place."

"Really, Jean?" Melanie said to the red-head.

"Yeah. At least the Professor gave us a choice. Training here or with Wolverine."

"I feel bad for mein Melinda," Kurt said. "She's sick and has to make up the training with Wolverine after she feels better."

The group grabbed thier stuff and headed off with the others.

The Brotherhood was still waiting by the school bus.

"Group leader, scholastic achievement," Blob mumbled. "That should've been me."

Pietro laughed. "Like you could even spell those things."

"But I can spell 'doomed.' Why did you even let Melanie talk you into this, Toad?"

The three looked over at the drooling boy.

They then looked where he was looking.

"Don't those legs look like they could go on forever?"

"Quit staring at her and focus on us!"

***********************************************************************************************

Miles away, Mystique was releasing the half-brother of Chalres Xavier, Kane Marko, out of Stokes County Maximum Security Facility. The unstoppable Juggernaut was kept in a cell filled with a paralyzing liquid that would keep him from moving. She proposed a plan in which he would get her Cerebro and he could deal with his brother. Marko refused to listen and broke out of the facility.

***********************************************************************************************

Back at Iron Back, the teens were excercising in an obstacle course. Blob attempted the rope climb but ended up snapping his rope. The race was soon between Lance and Scott. They rushed over to the rafts awaiting them by the shore of the small lake.

"You swim?" Lance asked.

"Yeah."

"Pity."

Lance used his powers to shake the shore and knock Scott into the water.

Evan and Kitty ran to the edge of the lake.

"Hey! That cheating chump!"

Spikes formed on Evan's arm. Before he could shoot them, Jean grabbed his wrist.

"Listen, we agreed not to use our powers out here, remember? You know. Man against nature."

Melanie and the other X-men went over to Evan.

"That guy needs his boat popped."

"Scott wants to play fair."

Melanie pointed to the boats as Scott used his powers to knock Lance over.

"You sure about that, Jean?"

She groaned as Scott crossed the finish line.

The X-men went over to Scott but were confronted by the Brotherhood.

"That loser Scott should've lost and you know it."

"Just because he slipped and took a bath, the guy went ballistic."

"Slipped?" Kurt said. "More like Avalanched."

**************************************************************************************

Melanie stayed out of a huge fight that started but was forced to do pushups with the others, including Lance and Scott.

"Now on your feet," Sergeant Hawk said as he watched them finished pushup number 60.

"Here, we got a way of weeding out the loudmouths from the tough guys. We fight it out in the wilderness, against the wilderness. You grunts want to prove how tough you are? Fine. First team to snatch a flag I planted on Mount Humiliation and brings it back to me wins."

"Cakewalk," Pietro said grinning. "Our team can take a sauna. I can get it myself."

"Not if I beat you there," Nightcrawler challenged.

"The whole team or no one! As proof, I want a picture of every member right there at the top. Are we clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"You leave in five from opposite trails. Dismissed!"

Sergeant Hawk left, as well as a few others, when Lance threatened Scott.

"Better say your farewells "Sumner." You guys aren't coming back."

"You got something in mind? Because I-"

Jean went in front of Scott and Melanie went in front of Lance.

"What do you think your doing?" the girls said in unison.

"I'm sick of these guys always acting like their so perfect!" Lance yelled.

"And I'm sick of _these_ guys getting away with everything while we play by the rules."

"Like you don't get away with using your powers, Mr. Blow-Up-The-Football-Field!"

Lance stepped around Melanie and stood in front of Scott.

"Melanie's right but still...we don't need our powers to beat you."

"Fine. We'll all play it straight. Take Melanie with you, too."

The boys walked away as Jean started talking as if they were there.

"I'm very proud of our maturity-"

"Don't kid yourself, Jean."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Part Fourteen.**_

The race to Mount Humiliation began. Scott raced ahead of his teams.

"Come on! Let's pick it up! We're almost at the base!"

"What's with Mr. Decathlon?"

"And where's Melanie?"

"Scott's angry that Melanie reminded him of when he accidently used his powers and damaged the football field. He told her to go to the Brotherhood team," Jean explained.

"Damn!" Evan yelled swatting a swarm of bugs. "These mosquitoes are the size of pelicans!"

**************************************************************************

With the Brotherhood, Toad was hopping his way up the mountain.

"What's with you boys? Hurry up!"

Blob and Melanie were climbing up the mountain with Pietro and Lance tied on the other end.

"If this guy falls, I'm done for," Pietro groaned looking up. "Death by blubber bomb. Why do you get Melanie?"

"Because I called her and you joked about staring at her butt. Don't worry. We are winning this race."

Melanie darted her head toward the west.

"I hear a jet..."

"Mime! Hurry up!"

"Mime?!"

"A mime copys what a person does, don't they?" Lance yelled up.

"This is no time for this!!"

************************************************************************************

Melanie was right. Storm was driving the X-Jet and creating a dense fog to hide where Juggernaut was from the press.

**************************************************************************************

Fred and Melanie were messing around with Lance and Pietro by letting them dangle from the mountain's edge.

"Guys? A little help?"

Lance and Pietro were yanked up and quickly untied the rope.

"Where's Toad?"

Melanie pointed toward an abandoned mine, pieces of wood .

He came out a few minutes later.

"There's a tunnel in there that's like a tunnel to the top."

"That's my boyfriend!" Melanie said before she kissed him, the wood standing between their bodies.

"Forget about making out-"

Before Lance could continue, Melanie butted in.

"You'll never hear another teenage boy say that again."

"Shut up! That flag is ours so come on!"

Lance tore away a piece of wood and the team went into the tunnel, unaware that the words "Keep Out" on the other side.

********************************************************************************

Scott stared up at the top of Mount Humiliation, only a short distance away.

"Spot the flag?" Kurt asked as the others climbed up.

"No. Pop up there and see if its there."

"But-"

"Do you want to win or not? Hurry!"

Kurt teleported to the top and immediately came back.

"Its there. We're very close."

"Excellent. Evan, spike a rope up there. Time's wasting."

He quickly tied the rope to a spike and shot it only few feet from the top.

Scott offered the rope to a glaring Jean but she started climbing with her hands, completely ignoring the rope.

****************************************************************************

Toad hopped down the tunnel and reached an exit leading to the top.

When Lance looked up, he could see it was blocked. He snapped, grabbed Toad by the collar and started shaking the ground.

"You moron! We can't get through!"

"You better let go of him, now!" Melanie screamed creating two fireballs in her hands.

"I-I kind of figured you could avalanche it loose a little bit."

Lance threw Toad to the ground. Melanie went over to him and made sure he was okay.

"Guys, wait. If we-"

Before Melanie could finish, Lance started using his powers.

The tunnel started caving in.

Melanie tried to use her powers to keep the boys from getting hurt but Lance, herself, and Pietro were buried underneath the rubble. Blob was able to get himself out and Toad was protected the most from Melanie's powers.

*************************************************************************************

With the X-men, Jean and Scott were arguing about using powers. Evan fell off the mountain and Jean used her powers to save him. Scott thought it was reason enough for her to levitate them to the top.

"Guys, over here!" Rogue said looking down a mine shaft. "Its them!"

Toad was looking back and forth nervously.

"We're caved in! Come on, don't leave us down here!"

The X-men looked at each other before they started getting the Brotherhood and their other teammate out.

*************************************************************************************

At the Xavier Institute, Juggernaut and Mystique had broken in. Wolverine and a still sick Melinda tried to stop Juggernaut but were useless. The unstoppable man even smashed his way through Cerebro, much to Mystique's dismay. Professor X and Mystique were cornered in the Danger room as Wolverine and Melinda were on the ground, unconsious.

*************************************************************************************

The Brotherhood and Melanie were pulled out of the mine thanks to the X-men. Pietro and Kurt were fighting over the flag when the X-Jet appeared. Storm was driving it.

"X-men, Professor X is in danger, so is Mystique."

Scott looked at Lance.

"You up for it?"

"Let's go."

****************************************************************************

Sergeant Hawk was walking around camp when the roar of a close jet knocked him over. The white flag landed in front of him as well as a picture of the two mutant teams.

****************************************************************************

Melinda and Wolverine started waking up as Juggernaut smashed his way through the Danger Room.

"Take a break guys!" Scott yelled as the two teams stood in the doorway, adorned in their mutant attire.

"We'll take it from here."

Melanie teleported over to Wolverine and Melinda and got them to the other side of the Danger Room.

"K-Kane's helmet. Remove it!" Wolverine screamed to the others.

Jean tried levitating the Juggernaut but couldn't hold him for more than a minute. He went to grab her once he came back to earth but was shoved by Blob.

"Unstoppable, meet the unmovable!"

Kurt teleported to the back of Kane and undid one of the four latches to the helmet. The elf was thrown aside and Blob was tackled by Juggernaut. Cyclops blasted at one of the latches on Kane's helmet latches before a piece of a Danger Room was thrown toward him. Avalanche shook the ground to bring the Juggernaut to his knees as Pietro quickly unlocked another latch. Storm created a whirlwind around Juggernaut and pushed him back to a wall. Kitty and Rogue emerged from the wall and finished the final latches. Juggernaut stood up and the girls darted off. Toad hopped onto the wall and used his tongue to grab the helmet and pull it off the unstoppable.

"No!" Kane screamed trying to shield his head from the Professor and Melanie's pychic blasts.

The Juggernaut managed to reach his way over to the Professor but fell just short of grabbing his brother.

"Yeah!"

"All right!"

The X-men and Brotherhood ran over to their leaders, cheering at their victory.

"There's something you won't see everyday."

"Yes...and that's a shame."

"Come on, boys. Let's get out of here before you're invited to a slumber party."

Todd winked at Melanie as the boys walked out.

Lance turned around to Scott.

"Summers, as a group leader, you're only half-bad."

"Then next time, you call the shots."

"There won't be a next time."

*******************************************************************************

Kane Marko was placed back in the paralysis biofluid. Professor X and Melanie stood in front of it, Jean, Scott, and Wolverine waiting outside.

"Melanie, your powers are indeed remarkable. It took me years to learn pychic blasts. I wonder how strong your powers could be."

"I guess I just used it instinctively. I'm just glad I could help."

"Maybe if you study hard," Professor said as he started to leave the room, "Maybe you'll be greater than any of your siblings."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Part Fifteen**_

Melanie and Melinda sat in Melanie's room after the Iron Back Survival Camp was over after two long weeks. The two were in their nightgowns, Melinda wore red and Melanie wore black.

"Training with Wolverine stinks! He's so brutal!"

"At least you weren't almost buried alive!"

"No, I was buried alive! That was one of his first lessons!" She fell back on the bed. "At least Kurt pops in to check on me."

Melanie cooed. "Nightcrawler to the rescue."

"I can't believe how amazing he is! That accent is way adorable but the way he knows what's fun and exciting." Melinda covered her face with a pillow. "I think I'd let him be my first!"

Melanie yanked the pillow away from her sister.

"What?! You've been going out for a month! And he was away at that camp for two of them!"

"I'm older than you. I have a better common sense."

"You shared my body for most of those years!"

"Well none of our sisters are virgins!"

Melanie jumped off the bed.

"WHAT?!"

"Just kidding!"

The two started a pillow fight which was then followed by a loud series of crashing branches.

****************************************************************************

"Toad! Why are you covered in scratches and bruises?!"

The Brotherhood boys stood in front of their smiling comrade on the couch.

Melanie stood next to him, wearing a housecoat over her nightgown. "He saw my sister and I fighting and he fell out of the tree."

She started dabbing medicine onto the wounds as his friends laughed their heads off.

"I can't wait to meet the other girls!"

"Maybe they'll have a mud wrestling tournament!"

"Megan actually did that. Won the belt three times."

****************************************************************************

At the Xavier institute, Rogue was screaming from a terrible nightmare.

Scott, Melinda, and Jean were the first into the room.

"Rogue, are you all right?"

"What happened?"

"I-I don't know. I was kind of horrible nightmare with these images. It was awful."

"Her shrieking really freaked me out. I neary phased through the bed," Kitty said with her hand on Rogue's shoulder.

Scott kneeled down to be eye-level with Rogue. "Finals must be really getting to you."

"No! Its not the first time! I've had this dream before. They started when I came to the institute."

Kurt and Evan walked in. Melinda was embarrassed to admit it, she loved seeing Kurt in his nightwear. The tight brown pants that clung to his form with the nightshirt tucked into them worked wonders for him.

Kurt moved over to his girlfriend and loved seeing her in her red nightgown. It wasn't a blood red but gave her a dangerous look all the same.

The two nearly forgot about the others in the room until Rogue started at Kurt.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? What's wrong?"

"It was you!"

"What was me?"

"Somehow I just know the baby in my dream was you."

"What are you talking about?"

"In the dream, there was a baby crying. Someone, a woman I think, I didn't really see her face, was running. The baby was dropped into the river."

"And you think this baby is me?"

"Why am I having this dream?!"

Jean placed her arm around Rogue.

"Maybe the professor can help us sort this out. Let's go in the morning. Its late."

"That's quite all right, Jean," the professor telepathically told everyone. "This is important. Rogue and Kurt, please come with Jean to the library. And the rest of you, try to get some sleep. You have finals in the morning."

"There's no hiding anything from that dude, is there?" Evan said walking down the hallway.

Kurt waved to Melinda as he walked with the other two women. She smiled half-heartedly as she walked to her room.

****************************************************************************

Outside her window, she saw Melanie walking the grounds.

"Mel! What are you doing?"

Melanie quickly teleported into her sister's room.

"Toad lost his wallet out here. Sure there wasn't a lot in it but he said there was some stuff he didn't want someone to find."

The two looked around the tree and the path Toad usually took to get into Melanie's room, that Wolverine made sure his scent was there and only there. Melinda kept thinking about was what was going on with Kurt and Rogue.

"Melinda?"

Why was the Professor letting Jean go when he know Melinda and Kurt were going out?

"Melinda?"

It wasn't fair! Kurt was always off on some big adventure, like when they went to Middleverse before Melinda got out of Melanie's body!

"Okay... if you aren't answering, I'm going into your mind."

Melanie grabbed hold of her sister's skull and started reading her mind. Melinda was shocked into her senses and pushed her sister away.

"What?!"

"So Rogue had a dream about a baby Kurt? CUTE! I bet he was adorable with the blue fur!"

"Darn it! I hate it when you do that! Why do you have to grab my head?"

"It brings you back to reality!"

Melinda sighed and saw a brown, tattered wallet.

"I bet this is it."

She opened it and started rummaging through it.

"Hey! Don't go through my boyfriend's things!"

"AW!! HOW CUTE!!"

Melinda peaked her sister's interests.

Inside the wallet were several wallet size pictures of Melanie and a larger one with Toad and Melanie.

"He must have asked Pietro to take these after he saw the one in your room.

"Pietro charged me a week's worth of lunches for that one picture. I wonder what he made Toad do for all of these."

****************************************************************************

At the Xavier Institute, Jean, Kurt, Rogue, and the Professor were sitting in the library.

"I always knew my parents adopted me but never said anything about fishing me out of a river."

"Don't worry, Kurt. We'll sort this out. Rogue, I think I should start with you, since this was your dream. Sit here, please."

The Professor motioned to a seat next to him and Rogue sat down.

"Just relax and try to think about the dream."

They started looking through the dream and saw Mystique running with an infant, away from Magneto, the child fell into the river but was taken out by a couple a distance away.

"Well? Did you see anything?" Kurt asked anxiously.

"Rogue, your dream isn't a dream. Its a repressed memory, not just an imagination."

"But if I'm in it, why is she having the dream? Shouldn't it have been me?"

"I'm not quite certain...you must have absorbed the memories of someone who knows about Kurt's past."

"She touched me! Back when we first met, remember?"

"You were only an infant in the dream. It is possible that you could possess memories that far back."

"Probe my mind, Professor. Maybe I have more memories about what happened later."

"Yes, but not tonight. I think we've had enough excitement for now. After school tomorrow, Kurt. I promise."__


	16. Chapter 16

_**Part Sixteen.**_

Pietro sat comfortably on the couch in the Brotherhood living room. Lance and Blob were playing a game of cards.

"Hey, Pietro, mind getting us some snacks?"

"Certainly." he reached down and picked up a bell.

"Oh, Toad? Can you bring us some chips?"

Toad walked in wearing a french maid uniform.

"Pictures of Melanie...pictures of Melanie."

"Think of it this way, Toad. Maybe if you told Mime what you were doing this for, she'd offer to wear that and pose in some pictures for you."

The three laughed as Toad stuck his tongue out at them.

"At least I got a girlfriend. A hot one at that!"

"Dude's got a point. What makes her so crazy about you anyway?"

Todd was about to answer when the front door swung open.

"Why are you guys all awake? Its-"

When Melanie walked into the living room, she saw a quick blur of someone jumping behind the couch. Lance, Fred, and Pietro were laughing.

"Where's my boy toy at?"

He popped out from behind the couch, covered in a blanket.

"H-Hey, Sugar Plum. Wh-Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I found your wallet. Don't worry, I think all of the pictures are in there."

She ran over using Pietro's speed and slapped the speedster.

"OW!"

"You better make sure you don't get in trouble for these. I mean some are on the institute grounds. If Professor X saw these, or even worse Wolverine, you could start something-"

"Why are all of you awake at this hour? Did you-"

Mystique was walking downstairs in a white nightgown but stared shocked at what was in front of her.

"What is she doing here?"

Todd accidently let go of the blanket as he went to stand protectively in front of his girlfriend.

Then Pietro pushed him down and lifted Melanie into his arms.

"All right! I can't deny it! Melanie is carrying my child!"

"The hell she is!" Toad said taking Melanie into his arms.

Mystique stared questionably at his reaction.

"You...Burst-"

Melanie groaned and sat down on the couch.

"Can I just crash here for tonight? It beats the drama back home."

"Boys, go to bed."

They groaned and headed up the stairs.

Toad hid at the very top behind the corner.

Mystique sat down next to Melanie.

"What's wrong?"

"Why should it-"

"Look, maternal instincts die hard," Mytique sighed heavily. "They feel stronger now than before."

Melanie quickly probbed into Mystique's mind as she was distracted.

She quickly discovered that Kurt was Mystique's son.

**************************************************

Lance didn't fall asleep that night. He sat in his room and watched the tv Melanie had just gotten him for acing the practice finals she kept giving them. Pietro was steamed when she refused to buy him one because he used his powers to look up the answers.

As soon as he walked out of his room, he saw Toad asleep in the hallway.

"Toad? Toad?"

"Hm? What time is it?"

"Time to get ready for school. Finals today and Mime will kill us if we don't take them."

"Look downstairs and see if she's still there, would you? You could defend yourself if Mystique is there."

Lance looked down and saw Melanie sleeping on the couch.

"Melanie's down there but I don't see Mys-"

She stood behind them, taking the Principal Darkholme form, tapping her high heels.

"You both have finals. I suggest you get ready."

Before she could add anything else, Toad hopped into his room as Lance headed into the bathroom.

As she walked out the door, she looked over at Melanie.

Groaning, she went over and shook the girl's arm.

"Melanie, wake up."

She yawned and looked up at Mystique.

"Look. Why don't I make this easy on you? You stay here for today and I'll bring the finals to you. I don't know if you'll be ready in time for-"

"Don't worry about it. All I have to do is be Quicksilver and a few other people and I'll be in homeroom before the late bell."

With that, Melanie raced out of the Brotherhood house, climbed up her tree, and dove into her room.

****************************************************

In the middle of the school day, Professor Xavier sat in Principal Darkholme's office.

"You've been carrying a terrible burden for many years, Mystique. Rogue's recent contact with you seems to have given her some of your darker memories. Nightmares about a very unfortuante incident involving an infant."

"You're fishing. You don't know anything."

"I know about your relationship with the boy. What I don't know is what Magneto did to him. Why did you run that night?"

"Dear, dear Charles," she said moving to her bookshelf. "How incredibly frustrating for you to realize that that amazing mind knows so very little really."

"What were you two up to in that castle? Was it worth the loss of your son?"

Mystique froze in front of the bookshelf as flashbacks rushed in her head. She dropped a book and turned around.

"Get out! Get out now!"

Charles started leaving but stopped just short of the door.

"Just in case you're curious, he turned out to be a very fine lad."

****************************************************************

After school, Mystique told Pietro to meet her behind the bleachers on the field.

"Are you sure about this? I've seen the defenses they've got."

"Don't worry. You're fast enough. You should be able to get in and out of there undetected."

"Why is this so important? What are you telling that blue-furred freak?"

"Never mind," she said annoyed. "Just deliever it."

Pietro ran off and headed for the Xavier Institute.

***************************************************************

Charles Xavier was on the communicator with Wolverine. They were expolring a castle that Rogue saw in her dreams and had connections to Magneto. Whether it would prove to be of any use was still waiting to be seen.

Xavier felt the presence of a mutant approach and enter the grounds.

_Quicksilver._ He thought as the mutant rushed inside.

**********************************************************************

Nightcrawler hung upside down in his room as he started at a picture. It was him around five years old with his adoptive parents. Everything was happening so fast. Who were his real parents? Were they like his foster family? What made Kurt look the way he did?

A quick knock at the door shook him out of his thoughts.

He dropped from the chandelier and teleported outside his room. No one was outside. When he teleported back into his room, there was an envelope at his feet.

"If you want to know the truth, come to the new mall construction site at sundown. Come alone!" he said reading it out loud.

Kurt went over to his dresser and put the note inside. He turned to the window and saw it was almost sundown.

"Why not?" he said before teleporting.

Scott knocked as he opened the door to Kurt's room.

"Yo, Kurt. Professor X says he may have some info-Kurt?"

*********************************************************************

"That's what the note said. She's gonna meet that little blue creep tonight."

Pietro was on his phone twenty miles out of the city.

"And that Wolverine guy and the Blackbird were gone, just like you said."

"As I feared," a dark voice said on the other line. "Good work, Pietro. Now I need you to do something further for me."

The voice was Magneto.

"Get the others and intercept Nightcrawler before he gets to Mystique. She must not tell him what he wants to know."

************************************************************************


	17. Chapter 17

_**Part Seventeen. **_

Melanie and her sister were driving around in the Tahoe.

"I don't understand why Kurt left school in such a hurry."

"All I know is that he was talking to Rogue, he got mad, and teleported out. Cheer up. We're going to see that new store that just opened."

"What is it called?"

"I don't know. People were making a big hype about it. I wanted to check it out."

***************************************************************

Jean was walking towards her room when Scott called her over.

"Jean, Kurt's taken off. The profesor wants us to check out his room."

They opened the door to Kurt's room and walked in.

"So what are we looking for?"

"I'm not sure. Professor X thinks Kurt might have had a visit from Pietro this afternoon."

"Quicksilver? Here? But how?"

"Hey, you know how fast that dude moves. I guess he could make it past the mansion security with no problem."

Jean opened the dresser drawers and found a note.

"Oh no. Scott, look at this."

Scott grabbed the note and said "Get the others. We gotta move."

******************************************************************

Melanie and Melinda were arriving back to the mansion when they saw Scott and Jean running.

"What's going on?"

"Kurt's in trouble."

********************************************************************

Nightcrawler cautiously walked on the construction sight. He couldn't see anyone but could sense someone nearby.

"Hello, Kurt."

He turned around and saw a woman, covered in a dark brown cloak.

"You! You're the one in Rogue's dream."

He moved closer to her.

"Who are you? Why don't you show yourself?"

"You already know me," she said pulling back her hood. It was Mystique. "Son."

"No! Its impossible!"

Kurt moved away from her as she reachd out. He clenched his fists and growled.

"What happened to me? Why didn't you-"

Blob suddenly jumped off from the building structure and landed in between Nightcrawler and Mystique. The rest of the Brotherhood surrounded Nightcrawler.

"Far as you go, fur boy. This conversation's over."

"Get out of here! All of you!"

"Sorry, boss lady," Pietro said with a smile. "We got higher orders."

Toad tried to hit Nightcrawler with his tongue but he teleported onto a hook. Toad jumped onto the hook but got stuck. Nightcrawler reappeared on the metal structure.

"What kind of game is this, Mystique?"

Before she could say anything, the hook Toad was on swung back, knocked Nightcrawler off, and sent him crashing into a sand pile.

The Brotherhood stood around the blue X-men before his comrades appeared behind him.

"Get away from him!" Melinda, now named Wildfire, said creating fire in her hands.

Melinda and Spyke were fighting against Toad, Kitty and Scott forced Blob into a cement mixer, and Jean and Burst tried to wake Kurt up. Avalanche tried to stop them but Rogue tackled him. Scott was having a difficult time with Quicksilver but Jean lifted him up and Scott shot him into a sand pile.

Rogue tried to run after Mystique but she turned into a bird and flew away, leaving behind her gloves and cloak.

*********************************************************************

"So the dreams Rogue were having were really Mystique's?" Logan asked as he, Jean, Scott, and Professor X were in the study.

"I'm afraid so. Rogue must have picked them up when she touched her. Mystique may very well be the boy's mother. But we may never know now. There was nothing left of the castle or lab?"

"Nothing. Looked like whoever owned it wanted to make sure we couldn't trace anything. It looked like a place Dr. Frankenstein may have been comfortable in."

"Genetic experiments on mutants. I hadn't realised he would go so far. Poor Kurt."

"W-When should we tell Kurt?"

"I don't think the elf needs to know. Some of this stuff could be damaging."

**********************************************************

Kurt was on his balconey with Rogue.

"I still can't believe it. Mystique is my mother?"

"Kurt, that's one seriously messed up lady. Who knows what really happened?"

"I guess but there is a certain resemblance."

"That doesn't mean anything. Let's just wait until the prof finds more answers for you. Then we'll know for sure."

"I think he already knows more than he's willing to tell us."

"Maybe, but if he does, he's probably got good reasons for not telling you."

"I guess."

"Listen, I really do know what you're going through. If we both keep looking, we'll find our answers together someday. Okay? Besides, you got Melinda rooting for you. Its obvious she was worried about you since I had that dream."

Kurt turned away embarrassed as Rogue smiled. She started to leave as she tried to hide the tears burning her eyes. When she opened the door, she felt the door hit something.

"Ow!"

Melinda was on the ground rubbing her forehead.

"Melinda? I'm sorry, are you okay?"

Melinda quickly stood up and tried to hide her blush.

"Um, I was wondering if Kurt was okay."

"Yeah. Why don't you go in and see him?"


	18. Chapter 18

_**Part Eighteen.**_

Melanie was on the phone with Melody.

"You mean the movie's finally coming out? When?"

"In a few days! Okay more like a week but we want you and Melinda to fly out! Megan, Maya, and Mandy are all in it!"

"That's great!"

"How's Baytown?"

"Its Bayville. Its really good. You get the pics I sent you?"

"Kind of but I think the e-mail messed them up."

"Why?"

"Well one guy turned out blue and the guy you were with in the one picture came out really pale."

"That's how they really look, sis."

"Oopps..."

Melanie started laughing. A rock outside hit her window. She went over and opened the window. Toad was sitting down there with a bunch of flowers in his hand.

"Hold on, sis. Come on up!"

Toad hopped up the tree, jumped into the room, and kissed his girl on the cheek.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much. Talking to Melody. What's with the flowers?"

"Decided to piss off the neighbors since they said our house stinks whenever they walk by."

"Todd!"

"What? Pietro's the one who left the crap on the lawn. I thought these flowers shouldn't go to waste."

"MELANIE!!" Melody screamed on the phone.

"OW! Sorry!"

"LET ME TALK TO HIM!!"

Melanie handed the phone to Todd. He gave her the flowers.

"Hello?"

Melanie teleported to the kitchen and put the flowers in a vase.

Kurt teleported in a few seconds later.

"Hey, Kurt."

"What are you doing?"

"Um, I found these flowers and thought they would be a nice centerpiece!"

He looked at her questionably.

"Bye!" she said quickly teleporting back into her room. Todd was going through her underwear drawer.

"TODD!"

"Its not what it looks like! Melody told me to do it!"

Melanie took the phone, as well as a pair of blue underwear, from his hand.

"Melody..."

"What? I thought your boyfriend would want to know what his girlfriend was like."

"By going through my underwear drawer?"

"Yeah! Color and style says a lot!"

"I-I don't even want to know..."

"I asked him if he wanted to come to the premiere showing but he said no."

"You don't want to go to my sisters' movie?"

"I'd rather meet them when its a small thing. Not when there's hundreds of people..." he said suddenly nervous.

"Yo. I gotta go."

"So when are you coming?!"

"Ugh! Tomorrow or the day after!"

"Fine. BRING PICTURES!"

Melanie hung up the phone.

"Sorry a-"

Todd was interupted by Melanie forcing her lips onto his. After several minutes of rough making out, Melanie pulled away.

"Sometimes you talk too much."

**********************************************************************

**PLEASE REVIEW AND MESSAGE!! **

**********************************************************************

Melinda was bored. She was packing because Melanie and her were planning on going to a movie premiere. What the heck was she supossed to wear? One of those fancy gowns like at the Academy Award deals? Instead of risking a fashion malfunction, she went down to Melanie's room.

"Mel, what-"

She was interuppted with the sight of Melanie and Todd making out in her bed. Todd didn't have a shirt on and Melanie was on top, kissing down his chest.

"MEL!" the twins said in unison.

Todd grabbed his shirt and put it back on.

"What are you doing? Me? What are you?!" the twins said.

"This would be so hot if this was in a pit full of pudding and you two were in bikinis."

Melanie turned red, out of anger and embarrassment, used Jean's powers to open the window, and threw Todd out.

"I'll call you later then?" Toad asked looking up hopefully.

She made a quick nod before slamming the window shut.

He smiled before hopping away. So far he didn't come in contact with Wolverine on the grounds. A first time wasn't exactly on Toad's mind. When he reached the trees, a sudden poof of smoke crashed into him and tackled him into the trees.

"Gotcha!"

The blue-furred hero, Nightcrawler, was on top of him.

_Shit!_

**What's going to happen!?! Kurt going to turn Toad over to the others? Or will a Kurt/Todd romance begin!?! **

**Last one isn't as likely. **

**Sorry. **

**But I'm still not telling what will happen!!**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Part Nineteen.**_

**_PLEASE MESSAGE AND REVIEW!!_**

Todd was considering his options. Run, beg for mercy, surrender, fight, or scream for Melanie. He really didn't want to call Melanie. That would cause problems, especially if Nightcrawler didn't know he and Melanie were going out. Fighting against this guy would be a disaster. Especially after what happened last time. Running was impossible. He would just appear a step in front of Todd.

"C-Come on. Just let me go. Its not like-"

"Why were you coming out of Melinda's room?" Nightcrawler growled.

Nightcrawler wasn't exactly aware that Melinda's room was right next to Melanie's room.

"What are you talking about? I was in Melanie-"

_Shit!! SHUT UP!!_

"Melanie's? Why?"

Nightcrawler got off of Todd but kept his guard.

"Look. You can't tell anyone. Got it?"

He nodded.

Todd sighed.

"I'm dating her."

Nightcrawler stared at the blushing boy.

"What?"

Suddenly, Nightcrawler grabbed Todd's arm and teleported them into Melanie's room. Melanie and Melinda were finishing up packing Melanie's clothes.

"Hey, guys...why is he here?" Nightcrawler said holding Todd up by his arm.

"Isn't it obvious?" the girls said in unison.

"I'm-"

"Melanie is-"

"Dating him."

"That's too weird..." Nightcrawler said dropping Todd.

"What? Me dating Todd?"

"Or us finishing our sentences?"

"Both!"

"You gotta admit. When they talk like that, it is kind of hot."

Nightcrawler looked at Todd with a strange look.

"Look, the two of you are our boyfriends."

"We don't want either of you two making a big deal out of this."

"I think we deserve our chance to live as normal mutant girls dating normal mutant boys."

"Will you please keep this quiet?"

When the boys were silent, the girls went over and pressed their chests against their boyfriends'.

Todd smiled and nodded vigorously as Nightcrawler nodded shyly.

"But I want you two to consider my pudding idea."

Melinda opened the window and pointed.

"Say that one more time and this will be the last time you will ever enter this room."

Todd whimpered. Melanie glared at her sister.

"What? These people are sick! Its almost as bad as the sevensome he suggested!!"

"That wasn't me who said it!"

Nightcrawler sat on a nearby chair and held his aching head.

"What is going on??"

"Trust me, Kurt. Its better that you don't know."

Todd hopped up and down.

"I got an idea!"

"Its a miracle."

Melanie threw a pillow at her sister.

"Why don't Blue Boy and I hang out while the two of you are gone?! It'll be fun! We can come up with ideas of how to win you girls over some more."

Todd nudged Kurt in the arm.

"They've got some pretty outragious sisters and brothers. We gotta prove we're good enough for these two."

Toad hopped over to Melanie and hugged her from behind.

"Like bringing them flowers like I just did."

"So that's where the flowers came from..." Kurt said turning on his image inducer.

"All right! So you in, Blue Boy?"

"Quit calling him Blue Boy..." Melinda said setting Toad's sleeve on fire.

"AH!!"

"MELINDA!!"

Melanie used Storm's powers to create a rain cloud over Toad and put out the fire.

"Thanks...but now I'm soaking wet."

"Good. Go take a shower," Nightcrawler said as Melinda sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist as his tail rubbed against her back.

Toad smirked and said "Only if Melanie joins me."

Melanie smiled. "You need a lot more flowers before that'll happen."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Part Twenty.**_

Melanie and Melinda had to get up at four in the morning for the airport in New York City. No point in falling asleep when they could just sleep on the nine hour plane ride. Todd really didn't want to go home, since there wasn't much going on at home, and Kurt really didn't trust Toad all that much.

"So you guys are just going to stay here until we leave?"

"Yeah. Why not? I won't be able to see my girl for over a week! This stinks!" Todd said holding Melanie.

"You better get me a truckload of flies when you get back. Or a thousand kisses."

"Half and half?" she said giving him a quick peck.

Kurt was embarrassed. He really didn't know how to act romantic. Its not as if he had a lot of practice growing up. Mostly, he watched his parents. He held Melinda tightly in his arms and whispered in German.

"_I'm going to miss you so much. Do you have to go?_"

"_My sisters need me. It will only be a week or two._"

"_Gah. I can't believe such a wonderful and caring person like you exists._"

Melanie and Todd watched confused as Kurt and Melinda whispered and spoke in German. They both had smiles on their faces as they nuzzled together.

"Sugar Plum, what are they saying?"

"They're saying how they want to go to France to try frogs' legs but Melinda said they can just stay here and eat you."

Todd stared at Melanie.

"Okay they didn't say that...but it sounded funny."

He gave her a smile before hopping over to Kurt and Melinda.

"Let's go out! Its borin' here!"

"Go where?"

"I want to stay here with mein Melinda."

"Well I say we go out and paint the town red!"

Melinda and Kurt gave in. Melanie and Kurt teleported all of them to the garage. They piled into Melanie's Tahoe and drove into town.

"All right! Where should we go?" Melanie said looking around.

"Anywhere that Kurt and I can show off our twins!"

Melinda looked out her window.

"Guys, it looks like there's a party at Duncan's."

Melanie pulled the car over a few streets down from the party.

"All right. Crash and dash?"

"I'm up for it."

Melinda and Kurt looked at each other.

"What do they mean?"

"Duh! We use our powers to mess with them! Turn the lights on and off, leave a 'mysterious' green gunk, have furniture 'suddenly' outside and maybe set a few things on fire!"

Melinda glared at her sister.

"Okay. No fire."

"I blame you for her, Toad. She never had these destructive thoughts when I was in her head."

Toad smiled.

"I'm all set! Okay, first me and Kurt should teleport and assess the place. I can turn invivisble to make sure we aren't seen. Then we'll come back and we'll work out a plan."

Kurt and Melanie popped into the living room, invisible to everyone. There was a good size group, at least ten but closer to thirty people. Of course he forgot to invite he X-men and Brotherhood. They were surprised Jean wasn't there.

Kurt and Melanie walked around. Kurt kept his hand on Melanie's arm to keep him invisible. They looked around for any embarrassing items. There were a few left over baby toys tucked away in the back of his closet.

The two teleported back to Toad and Melinda, still in the car.

"All right. First, we cut the lights. Kurt, can you do okay in the dark?"

"Fine. Now that I know where I am going."

"Toad, you'll be with me. We'll hit Duncan where it hurts."

************************************************************************

"Great party, Duncan!"

"You know it!"

The crowd cheered as Duncan went to grab another soda out of the cooler. The lights flickered for a few seconds before they turned off.

**********************************************************

Melinda was outside with Kurt. The power box outside was melted.

"Opps. Did I do that?"

*********************************************************

"Hold on everybody! There's some candles down in the basement!" Duncan yelled to calm down everyone. He headed down while people were wandering around in the darkness. People from the other parts of the house all gathered into the living room.

Duncan came back up and everyone quickly grabbed one of the candles. Now some of the girls might question why he had so many candles but the boys asked if they helped any.

Once they were all passed out and lighted, people started freaking out.

"What happened to the furniture!?!"

"All of the food is gone!"

"What is this stuff on the ground!?"

"EW!! Its everywhere!!"

"AAAAAHHHH!! GHOSTS!!"

Duncan tried to calm everyone down but once he saw all of the furniture outside around his pool, he snapped.

The party ran outside and surrounded the pool.

Then they noticed the burning pile of stuffed animals, shirts, and other things of Duncan's.

Duncan tried to act tough but collapsed by his pool.

"All of my stuff!!"

***************************************************************

Melinda, Melanie, Kurt, and Todd bolted from the scene.

"That was awesome!!"

"Did you hear them screaming?!"

"They won't forget this for a long time!"

Todd looked around as he drove for something else to do. Melanie had a smirk on her face.

"Well...it looks like there's nothing really open at this hour. And we still have three hours to kill."

She slid over to Todd and nuzzled into his neck as her hand went up and down his chest.

"What can two couples do to spend a few hours."

Todd hit the gas.

"H-Hey, slow down, Toad!" Kurt said clinging to his seatbelt.

*********************************************************************

Todd drove to a popular make-out spot hidden in the forest. It was on a cliff looking over the city.

Kurt and Melinda made out in the backseat while Todd and Melanie hogged the passanger seat. They had the music blasting, since neither couple wanted to hear the other.

Todd couldn't keep his hands off of Melanie. He was underneath her as she kept herself on top. His tongue wrestled against hers for dominance while his hands traced her back and lower back. It felt like he was too nervous to touch her any farther than that. Melanie wanted to show him it was okay.

She ran her hands up and down his chest, zig-zagging every so often, until she reached the waistband of his boxers. She smirked and she lifted them slightly and put her hands inside. He groaned in protest and pleasure when she moved her hands from his front to his rear. She massaged his butt, earning several more groans.

Of course Melinda wasn't being too shy either.

She and Kurt were locked in each other's arms, laying down on the backseat, Kurt on top. Melinda ripped off his image inducer. He was wearing his X-men uniform with his tail moving back and forth excitedly. Melinda kept her hands on the fur of his neck as he took off his yellow gloves. As soon as they were off, his hands went up her shirt and felt her stomach. She moaned and wished she could get the suit off of him.

The ground started a light shake.

Todd was kissing Melanie's neck and Kurt was kissing Melinda's jaw when the girls said "This feels so good I can feel the earth moving."

When the shaking got harder, Melanie started wiping away the fog off her passanger window. Pietro was there with a smile on his face. Kurt and Melinda ducked under a blanket while Melanie and Todd tried to act calm.

The Brotherhood was outside, in full uniform, with smiles on their faces.

"H-Hey guys."

"Look, Toad. We're happy you're getting lucky but we have a meeting to get to."

"At this hour?"

Lance started laughing.

"Told you he wouldn't buy it!"

"Okay, so we wanted to see why you were staying out all night. But we have a meeting tomorrow so come on!"

"No way!"

"Toad!"

"You guys are just mad because I'm gettin' some action and you're not!"

Now the boys were mad. Lance yanked Toad out of the Tahoe and threw him into the jeep.

"I'll call you when my plane lands!"

Toad's hand shot up to wave goodbye.

The boys hopped into the jeep and drove off.

"We're clear, guys."

The two sighed.

"I'll teleport home. Just bring my car back when you finish up here."

"Melanie!"

"I am not staying here while my sister makes out with her boyfriend."


	21. Chapter 21

_**Part Twenty-One.**_

Kurt was staring out the window of the kitchen. His tail was on the ground, limp. Everyone was there for breakfast. Scott leaned over to Kitty.

"What's the matter with Kurt?"

"Melinda and Melanie left last night. Its going to be a week or two before they're back."

Evan shoved a mouthful of eggs into hi mouth before joining the conversation.

"I wonder if one of their sisters would be interested in me...I heard that Mandy is pretty good at singing."

"That's her power, Evan."

Kurt teleported in front of them and hung from the ceiling.

"If you guys are going to talk about mein Melinda's family, can you try to do it so everyone can't hear you?"

"S-Sorry, Kurt."

He sighed depressed. His tail was swinging back and forth sadly.

"She won't be back for so long."

Professor Xavier smiled as he drank his coffee. Kurt was head over heels for Melinda. The day after their first date, when Kitty asked Kurt if Melinda was his girlfriend, he was so flustered he teleported outside! When he teleported back, Melinda answered Kitty's question as 'yes.' When she asked Kurt if that was right, he nodded nervously and teleported back into his room.

"Kurt, do your parents know about Melinda?"

Kurt's tail whirled around his left leg.

"I-I was planning on telling them soon."

"They don't know?!" Jean and Kitty shouted.

"W-Well..."

"Give the dude a break," Evan said. "You think its easy for a guy to tell his parents he has a girlfriend?"

Scott joined in.

"Yeah. Especially when they've never met or seen the girl."

Kitty and Jean stomped over to Kurt.

"Where are the pictures?"

Kurt tried to back away.

"What pictures?"

"We know you and Melinda have taken more pictures than anyone in Hollywood!"

"Melanie is always taking your picture!"

***************************************************************

Kurt took Jean, Kitty, Evan, Scott, and Professor Xavier to his room. Jean and Kitty insisted that the other boys come.

"Where are-AW!! Kitty, look at this!"

On the nightstand by his bed, there was a picture of Kurt and Melinda. They were at the park and Melinda was on a swing, Kurt was behind her holding her.

"There's more over here!"

On the dressers and in the drawers were more. Some were Melinda and Kurt, some were Melinda and Melanie, but there were more with just Melinda.

"Wow...Kurt...there are over twenty pictures here."

Kurt was very embarrassed. He didn't want them to see all of that.

"All right! To the copy machine!"

****************************************************************

At the Brotherhood house, things weren't exactly sunshine and daisies.

"Toad! What happened to all the food?!"

Pietro, Lance, and Fred went out for a little bit, the shelves were filled with food, and now they were empty. They searched the kitchen but there wasn't a trace of food.

"Leave me alone!" Toad shouted from upstairs.

The three ran upstairs and saw Toad on his bed, without a shirt, surrounded by empty food wrappers. The tv was on a soap opera.

"What the heck are you watching?"

"Shut up! Can't you see Raphael is about to leave Christy whose carrying his baby because he discovered he was gay and is in love with Thomas who is engaged to Samantha but in reality is his old high school classmate who wants revenge!"

"Wait. Isn't Thomas the real father of Christy's baby?"

"Pietro! You're not helping!"

"No. Thomas isn't the father. The father is Thomas' brother, Richard."

"You too, Freddy?! Toad, why are you watching this?!"

"I MISS MY MELANIE!!! I can't take it! A few days I can handle but more than a WEEK?! I'm going nuts!!"

The phone next to the bed started ringing. Pietro answered it.

"Hello? Hey! I miss you. I'm just sitting here in Toad's room, mising you like crazy and watching soap operas. Toad? He went out partying with Lance. Something about 'getting some ass.' I don't know why he would when he is lucky enough to have a woman like you. Why if I had you, I'd-"

"GIVE ME THE PHONE!!"

Toad hopped around his room trying to catch Pietro who was saying nasty stuff into the phone. Blob started eating some chips with Lance as they watched the soap opera and their teammates.

"So let's see. Melanie is with her identical sisters while Toad is here but trying to snatch the phone away from the sex-maniac friend Pietro who is crazy about Melanie."

"I wonder how much we could make if we recorded this and sent it to America's Funniest Home Videos."

"It would be hard explaining ow his tongue is shooting out to ten feet while the other is running around faster than the road runner on crack."

*********************************************************************

Kurt was on the phone in the Xavier Institute. Jean and Kitty were watching.

_"Hello?"_

_"Mom? Hi."_

_"Kurt! My baby! Hold on!"_

Kurt sighed as he heard his father coming over and his mom turning on the speaker phone.

_"How are you doing, son?"_

_"We miss you!"_

_"I'm good. Everyone here is really nice. Um...there is kind of something I have to tell you."_

_"You can tell us anything, Kurt."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Um...there's this...."_

_"Oh my..."_

_"DID YOU MEET A GIRL!?!"_

Kurt yanked the phone away as his parents screamed and squealed in joy. Jean and Kitty looked at him.

"You tell them?"

"They figured it out."

_"KURT! Who is she?!"_

_"What does she look like?!"_

_"Mom. Dad. I'm sending a few pictures through the mail of her. And I might bring her up for the holidays."_

Kurt had to yank the phone away again as his mother started yelling excitedly.

_"Our baby has a girlfriend!!"_

_"What's her name?"_

_"M-Melinda. Melinda Wilbur."_

_"Wilbur. As in...Martin Wilbur?! The supermodel?!"_

_"No! As in Mandy the actress! And the boy band! 180! They are so adorable!"_

_"They are all related. She's really nice, smart, kind...pretty."_

Now Kurt held the phone away as far as he could to shield him from his mothers crying.

_"My little boy!! You have to bring her here as soon as you can!!"_

_"Okay, Mom."_

_"Nice work, Son. Remember to treat her nice."_

_"I will, Dad."_

_"We are so happy for you, sweetheart."_

_"Take care."_

_"Love you guys."_

Jean and Kitty 'awwed' when Kurt ended the call.

"That was so cute...I think."

"I didn't understand a word but it sounded like they were excited!"

***********************************************************

In Hollywood, Melanie and Melinda were heading to the condo that Maxwell owned. He normally liked to keep to himself but thought it would be nice to have Melinda and Melanie to stay for the trip there. All of the brothers and sisters were flying in, except for the band. They were stuck on their tour. At Maxwell's place, they were having a family dinner.

"I would like to propose a toast," Melanie said standing up.

"To Maya, Megan, and Mandy. I know your movie will reach the top of the charts! And to Melody and Martin, I hope your tour of Paris this upcoming fall season will be as glamourous as the clothes you'll be wearing!"

"Cheers!"

When Melanie sat back down, her other brothers started pouting.

"Why didn't you say anything about us?"

She groaned and stood back up.

"To Maxwell, I hope you'll fix the bodies of Hollywood's oldest for many years to come! To Malcolm, make sure you win every case when you become A.D.A! Also, I have quite a few friends who might be arrested...and I need you to help them if they need it."

"Thank you," they said in unison.

Everyone was dressed casually, since tomorrow the big premiere would require formal wear.

"So, Melanie and...'Melinda'...how is everything in Bayville?"

"Yeah. Did you bring pictures of your friends?"

"Wel'll show you them after dinner."

"Nope. Now."

Melinda groaned and pulled them out of her pocket.

"Their names are on the back."

"Ooohhh. This Pietro is a hottie."

"That's not something you say in front of your older brothers, Melody."

"He is!"

"I hear we're getting new students in a little bit though."

"Who is Kurt?"

"He's a guy from Germany. Really nice guy."

"Ew! This Todd guy is disgusting!" Martin said making a face.

"Like you're one to talk!"


	22. Chapter 22

_**Part Twenty-Two.**_

The movie premiere was jammed packed. Movie stars, directors, news cameras, everyone who was anyone was there. The Wilbur sisters were all wearing different colored dresses, Melody wore red, Mandy wore blue, Maya wore pink, Megan wore black, Melinda wore white, and Melanie wore green. The brothers were all in suits.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

At the Xavier institute, the group sat around the tv.

"Melanie and Melinda look great!"

"Its weird. They look identical to their sisters but you can tell Melinda and Melanie apart."

"Apparently they're causing quite the commotion. A sixth sister to the group. They claim it was a mistake by the hospital and she was sent to another family."

Kurt was sitting in the middle of the group but had the phone in his hand.

"_Do you guys see her?_"

"_Which one is she?_"

"_The one in the white dress._"

"_She is gorgeous!_"

*******************************************************

At the Brotherhood house, Todd was bouncing off the walls.

"Look at that! Look at that!"

Lance, Pietro, Fred, and Mystique sat on the couch getting more annoyed by the second. Pietro grabbed Todd and forced him to sit down.

"Calm down!! We can't see the tv with you going all over the place!"

"But look at her! She's beautiful! And she's all mine!! She's even wearing my color! I MISS YOU MELANIE!!"

"I MISS YOU TOO MELANIE!!"

"GET BACK HERE BEFORE WE HAVE TO KILL TOAD!!"

******************************************************************

Melanie and Melinda were somewhat ignored the entire time before the movie started. Everyone outside wanted to interview and talk to the other sisters.

Normally, it wouldn't have bothered them so much but now that they had boyfriends, they couldn't let their sisters take all the lime light.

"I'm really getting tired of this," Melinda said still smiling as she pretended to laugh with Melanie.

Melanie didn't want to risk any lip-readers in the crowd. She communicated telepathically with Melinda. (bold/italics)

_**We need our attention. Kurt and Todd would be disappointed if we didn't get a few minutes.**_

_**But how? Those people won't stop fawning over the others. Even the boys are getting more attention than us and they aren't in the movie!**_

_**I got it. We'll talk during the movie. For now, just keep smiling.**_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the movie was over, the crowds started leaving but Melinda and Melanie had their plan. This may have been selfish but standing in the shadows for so long, they might as well live in a dark alley.

While the other sisters and their brothers were in the restrooms, Melinda and Melanie went outside. Immediately, the cameras and people started to swarm them. But when they noticed who it was, they weren't as excited.

"Melanie and Melinda. You two are known as the 'Ordinary Superstars.' How does it feel being related to some of the country's greatest stars?"

"What was it like growing up with them?"

The reporters laughed as Melanie and Melinda looked at each other.

"Melinda, do you have any resentment to your birth parents?"

Melinda and Melanie started crying.

"You want to know what its like for us?"

"Its suffocating."

--------------

In Bayville, the Brotherhood and X-men watched with wide eyes.

------------

"Do you people know why we moved to New York and didn't come here to L.A? Its because we were sick of it."

"Try picturing me what my home life was like! Growing up with four sisters who look exactly like me? It felt like I didn't even have my own name!"

"And even after they became famous, people started noticing us less and less. Suddenly we didn't matter anymore."

"All we wanted was to be our own person..."

"Instead of a matching set," they finished in unison.

The cameras and crew started crying and taking more pictures as the girls moved through the crowd and started heading down the street.

------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the Xavier Institute, Kurt was crying.

"_My poor Darling! I'll make sure you are happy!_"

The Professor was smiling on the inside.

_It may not have been the most conventional way to get attention but at least their sisters will finally find out that fame isn't everything. _

Scott looked questionably at the tv.

"I never thought they wouldn't like being related to famous people."

------------------------------------------------------------

At the Brotherhood House, Toad was clinging to the tv. Pietro and Lance were trying to pull him off while Fred and Mystique watched.

"Toad! Get off!"

"No! My baby needs a hug! Don't worry, Sugar Plum! I'm here for you!"

"I'm hungry," Fred said going into the kitchen. "Anyone want anything?"

"We have any booze?" Mystique said with a groan.

------------------------------------------------------------

Melinda and Melanie, once they got away from the press, teleported back to Maxwell's house. Hopefully, the press would hassle the family for the rest of the night.

"Hey, want to just get out of here and grab a swanky hotel room?"

"I really don't want to stay here much longer. Want to pop around the states?"

"Yeah. Those guys are gonna be on the headlines for the next editions."

------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Melody woke up first. Her head was throbbing. As soon as she and mostly the rest of her family came out of the movie, the press kept asking about Melinda and Melanie. They all went home and immediately fell asleep.

She started a pot of coffee and went to grab the newspaper outside. Her eyes bugged out when she saw who was on the cover.

"EVERYBODY WAKE UP!!"

------------------------------------------------------------

The X-men woke up to Kitty screaming.

"Guys, look!!"

She held up the newspaper.

------------------------------------------------------------

The Brotherhood were looking for something for breakfast...and to get Toad's mind off of Melanie.

"We need something cheap and filling..."

"Change that to free."

"I miss my Sugar Plum,"

"WE KNOW!!" the three screamed.

Mystique kicked them out of the house since Toad wouldn't stop whining about Melanie.

They were passing by a newstand.

"I feel like she's with me right now."

The four stopped walking and looked at the magazines covering the walls. Luckily the guy at the stand was talking to a pretty girl. Pietro snagged three different magazines and two papers. Once they were a safe distance from the stand, they looked at Melanie and Melinda on the covers.

*************************************************************************

Melody, Kitty, and Pietro started reading the article from the newspaper out loud.

"At the premiere of the newest movie by Mandy Wilbur, with her sisters Maya and Megan, almost the full Wilbur family showed up. But the real story isn't about the animal trainer, models, actress, stuntwoman, surgeon, or boy band. Its about the 'Ordinary Superstars' as many of us know them. What we should be calling them are the Extraordinary Superheros.

"Melanie and Melinda Wilbur live in New York, as far away from their siblings as they could get. And for good reason! They never get any attention, especially being the youngest. What's more, even though their siblings have all the money, these sisters are having far worse a time dealing with celebrity siblings.

They refer to themselves as a 'matching set' and need to individualize themselves."

Pietro, Kitty, and Melody continued.

"The sisters are spending a mini-vacation traveling back to their state and trying to focus on their own goals, none of which include the wild parties and crazy scandals their siblings have gotten into."

*********************************************************************

Maya's eyes bugged out of his head when she saw pictures of her and her other siblings in their less than appealing moments.

"AH!! MY MOUTHBRACE!!"

"It was only a few drinks! I didn't think anyone would have a camera!"

"I only hung out with that guy because I needed to be a passionate cheerleader in my next movie!! MOTIVATION!!"

**********************************************************************

The X-men stared at the paper.

"Wow. This is amazing."

"Its what those siblings deserve! They never even give Melanie or Melinda the light of day!"

"Yeah...it doesn't matter how you look at it, they barely treat their own sixtuplet siblings like people sometimes."

------------------------------------------------------------

The Brotherhood broke into the back of a bakery. The employees were all up front taking care of the 'accident' Pietro did when he leaned on the front window and it fell in.

"Admit it! My girl has style! It takes guts to show how terrible their siblings can be! They don't even celebrate Christmas together anymore!"

"Dude...you're crazy about her."

"Can you blame me?! She is the most beautiful creature my eyes have ever seen!"

"And you're the Frog Prince?"

"You bet your butt!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Melanie and Melinda traveled the country, enjoying each others company as well as their new fans, all the while oblivious to the chaos that was happening back home.

Magneto created a giant meteor he called Meteor M and planned to enhance the powers of mutants and destory humans. The Brotherhood had to fight the X-men in order to get places in this utopia. The X-men were going to have to fight, whether they liked it or not.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melanie and Melinda were back in Bayville after several days of avoiding too much press and having some fun.

"We're lucky. If anyone figured out you teleported us everywhere, we could've raised some questions on how we could move so fast."

"At least our sisters and brothers aren't mad at us anymore."

"I want to see Todd first! To the Brother-"

"No! I want to see my Kurt!"

Melanie groaned but teleported them in front of the Xavier mansion.

"Fine but I want to get a quick nap. I'm so tired from all of this stress."

She went to open the front door but found it was pushed in. The sisters walked in, horrified, shocked, and confused. The mansion entrance was falling apart! There were gapping holes in the walls, the plants were thrown all about, and parts of the stairs were on the floor.

"Did Storm have a panic attack or something? It looks like a tornado went through here!"

"All I know is that I'm not cleaning this up!"

Melinda crossed her arms and smirked at her sister.

"Fine...I guess I will clean this up."

"So what would be quicker? Maxwell's power or Pietro's?"

"I'll just do Maxwell's. I don't feel like fixing the giant holes."

Melanie raised her hands and focused on Maxwell's powers. A green light filled the area as everything was moved back into place.

Melinda ran upstairs as Melanie looked on the first floor.

"You see anyone?"

"Nope. Wonder what happened?"

Melanie growled.

"I had to clean up a mess they left. Why do I always have to clean up other people's messes?"

Melinda back up and ran to the garage. When they were little, the other sisters and brothers tricked Melanie into cleaning up their rooms. They would go have fun and she would have to be cleaning.

"Thank goodness! Scott left his car here!!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The X-men and the Brotherhood were flying home. They dropped Alex back at his home in Hawaii and it was clear flying back home. The Brotherhood were eager to get back home but Toad kept biting his tongue.

"You guys are unusually quiet," Scott said questionably.

"Look, we're exhausted and just want to take it easy," Pietro said with a smirk. "We all don't have the luxury of a mansion."

"I want-" Toad was about to scream before Fred covered his mouth.

"Some food! Me too! You think we can stop for-"

"No," Wolverine growled.

Storm, who was monitoring the controls, looked over at Professor Xavier.

"I'm getting some emergency reports from Bayville."

She hit a few buttons and a tv channel appeared on the windshield, with a space to the left so Wolverine could steer.

"Strange weather suddenly appears over Bayville! Powerful winds, dark clouds, and heavy hail! We talk to some of the people who were astonished by this unpredictable weather!"

A young woman was holding an infant inside a coffee shop.

"I was walking home after seeing my parents and it just got dark out! As soon as I heard the thunder, we came in here!"

Several other people appeared on the screen.

"It was so freaky!"

"Its the end of the world!"

"Save the children!"

"I don't see what everyone freaks out about. When I was little, we would have to walk ten miles to school in this weather!"

A button started beeping on the console. Storm hit it as a terrified Melinda appeared on the screen. She was on the outskirts of town, in Scott's car, with a blanket over her head and trees keeping the rain out.

"H-Hello?"

"Melinda!" Kurt yelled jumping up. "_Are you hurt?!_"

"I SHOULD KILL YOU GUYS!! You just had to leave a gigantic mess in the mansion! It looks like a cyclone went through it! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!?!"

Wolverine growled.

"What happened?!"

"Melanie always had to clean up after her siblings!! Do you know how freaked out she was after she cleaned that up?! It was like giving an all you can eat buffett to Fred! SHE WENT NUTS!"

"I resent that comment! They bounce back after a few weeks!"

"My point is she's totally wigging out!! JUST LOOK AT THIS!!"

Melinda moved the car video phone to the dark clouds, heavy winds, and lightning over the city.

While the X-men looked on with terror, Todd was in the back with a smile.

"Man...is that not the hottest?"

"You need therapy. You and your crazy girlfriend!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storm had to try and clear the way for Wolverine to land the plane back at the mansion. Todd tried not to jump out and see his girlfriend but the Brotherhood wanted the X-men to calm her down first.

"Melanie...Melanie?" Jean shouted as she and everyone stepped out of the X-Jet. They didn't even park underneath the court. They were outside.

On top of the mansion was Melanie in a new X-men uniform. It was almost like her old one but instead of the legs, the bottoms curved around her hips like Raven from the Teen Titans. Also, it was still black but a white triangle that started at her neck and the top ended at her hips.

While the X-men surrounded the girl, who was staring off in the distance, the Brotherhood were trying not shout in joy. Todd opened his mouth and let his tongue hang completely out.

"All right...I'll admit it...your girlfriend is definitely more hot than before," Pietro said before darting off.

He came back a few seconds later with his camera.

"Just a few select positions and I'll get some very nice pictures."

"I want five copies of each..." Todd said rolling his tongue back up.

Pietro got around fifteen pictures, doing his best to stay out of the X-men's way.

Wolverine growled.

"Kid, calm down!"

Melanie turned around to Logan. Suddenly the clouds started disappearing and everything was calming down.

"What? I was angry. I needed to let off some steam...or in this case hail."

Melanie faced Storm.

"I love your power! I bet this is helpful during a bad storm on a special occasion!"

"You...were in control this whole time?" Jean said as everyone got down from on top of the mansion.

"Of course, actually I was hoping if I made a big enough storm, you guys would hurry back from wherever."

She looked back and saw the Brotherhood. Toad was about to hop over but Fred held him back.

"I see our friends, the Brotherhood, are here. Where'd Melinda go?"

"I'm on it!" Kurt said, a bit too obviously excited.

"I'll take these guys back," Melanie said walking over to the Brotherhood.

"That's okay. I'll walk."

Pietro zoomed off. Melanie laughed.

"Of course that's his version of walking."

The rest of the Brotherhood put their hands on Melanie's shoulders and she teleported them out.

"I wonder why she was so quick to get rid of them," Jean said as everyone headed inside.

Charles and Logan smiled to themselves. Storm looked over.

"What's so funny?"

"Just picturing how Melanie would handle something bigger than the mess _you_ made."

"Logan..."

-----------------------

Melinda saw the sky clearing up and sighed in relief. A poof of smoke overhead and a voice broke the sudden quiet.

"Mein hubsch schatz*!" Kurt said hugging her. *My darling treasure

"Kurt! I missed you!"

Kurt never missed someone so much. He crashed his lips onto hers as his tail waved back and forth excitedly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Todd, Lance, and Fred were teleported back to the Brotherhood house by Melanie. Pietro was on the couch watching tv.

"What took you guys so long?"

"We were five seconds!"

"Right, Melanie?"

Lance and Fred looked over and saw Todd and Melanie already tangled up in each other. Their hands were everywhere at each other and the moaned loudly. Pietro grabbed a pillow and threw it at them.

"Will you two take a cold shower?!"

"Seriously!"

The two pulled apart, glaring at their friends.

"See how jealous they are of me? They can't say they have girlfriends as pretty as you."

Melanie gave Todd a quick peck on the cheek.

"I'm going to pop back home and change. I'll be back later and make you guys dinner. How does that sound?"

Pietro zoomed over and wrapped his arms around Melanie.

"Can we name our first child Pietro Junior?"

"Let go of my woman!"


	23. Chapter 23

_**Part Twenty-Three.**_

Melanie tried to make dinner for the Brotherhood but they weren't exactly any help.

"Okay...so Fred likes Megan and Lance wouldn't even think of anyone but Kitty."

Pietro zoomed over to Melanie.

"I have my Melanie."

Todd shot out his tongue and pulled her against him.

"You mean I have Melanie," he said glaring.

"What about my sisters? I'm sure if some of them came up here they would have some fun!"

"I think it might be way more confusing than enjoyable."

Melanie got out of Todd's hold and started pacing. He groaned as he watched her.

"I haven't held you in days. Why'd you get out?"

"I have an idea that could help my sisters, cause some chaos, and give us some free food."

"And you guys wonder why I love this woman!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melody, Mandy, Megan, and Maya were out shopping.

"I think this fall season is going to be fun. Paris is always so beautiful."

"Lucky. I can't go there until next year for a movie."

"Maya, what movie?"

"Its about a little poodle lost in Paris. Totally cute."

Megan's phone started ringing.

"Jello?"

"Why does she always say that?" the three sisters said weirded out.

"Melanie? What's up?!"

"What does she want?" Mandy said angry.

"Hm...vacation? Sounds cool. Lots of boys? Admirers? Like who?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well my boyfriend's got a few friends who are dying to meet you guys. And I think I have a guy here that could take you in a fight."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Megan twitched her eye.

"We'll be on the next plane."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melinda and Kurt walked hand-in-hand in school the next day. They spent nearly an hour making out in Scott's car yesterday before he actually came and made them stop.

"I missed you. How was Hollywood?"

"Boring. My sisters are pains in the butt."

"Hey!" several voices called out. "We heard that!"

She slowly turned around, shaking in fear. There were her sisters, Melanie, Megan, Mandy, Melody, and Maya.

"Oh...my-"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The school was in a panic. They were amazed they couldn't connect all the sisters together but now it seemed as obvious as the identical noses on their faces.

Kurt and Todd weren't too happy about it, however. The two were with their groups in the outside lunch area. One of the tales was surrounded with people, the sisters were all sitting there.

"They better not touch my Melanie," Todd said before he took a big bite out of the sandwich Melanie made him. Peanut butter and Jelly with a side of flies. (X-D)

Kurt, on the other hand, would not stop growling and cursing in German.

"Kurt, we have no idea what you are saying."

"Toad, chill. No one is after your girl."

The two groups looked over and saw Pietro with his arms around Melanie and Melinda.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Todd shouted as Blob held him back.

Evan and Scott were holding Kurt back as he tried to run towards the table.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So I said to myself, 'Pietro, you should help these sisters get back together. If all of them tried a few days of life in Bayville, they could recconnect and bring forth a few sisterhood!' Its just the nice guy in me."

Melinda and Melanie tried to escape from his grasp but he kept them.

"Pietro, why don't you show our sisters around?"

"I'm sure they would love a tour."

Mandy and Melody eagerly agreed.

"All right."

Pietro stood up and held out his arms. The two sisters grabbed an arm for themselves as Megan and Maya groaned. The group left and the students started going back to their own routines.

Melanie ran over to the Brotherhood while Melinda ran over to the X-men.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kurt!"

_"I'm going to strangle that lowlife Pietro! Are you all right?"_

_"I hated having him touch me but I do need someone decent to hold me now."_

Kurt gave her a hug and smiled.

_"My treasure."_

_"My blue knight."_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Todd, why are you bright red?"

Melanie watched curiously as her boyfriend took the water bottle out of her hands and started chugging it.

"He thought he grabbed ketchup in the lunch line. When you had your moment with Pietro, he drowned Fred's fries in it and started eating them."

"What did he grab?"

"The lunchlady's extra hot hot sauce."

"His insides are pretty much melting."

Melanie focused on a power, went over, and passionately kissed him. Immediately, he felt his insides cooling down.

When they pulled away, Tod breathed out a fog of cold air.

"How did you do that?" Lance asked confused.

"We're getting some new kids at the Institute. One can freeze things."

"What about the others?"

"Nope. I will not reveal that. And if you guys stay out of trouble, hopefully you will just meet them in school."

"Melanie..."

"A girl can dream, can't she?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Wilbur sisters and Kurt decided to hang out at the Brotherhood house. Kurt and Melinda were getting some unwanted romance tips from Pietro.

"Now, if you really want to spice things up, try to use that tail of his."

"Pietro, we really don't-"

Kurt just grabbed Melinda and teleported her outside.

"We need to get out of-"

Pietro zoomed right in front of them.

"Wait! I'm not done! I have to give you fashion tips!"

They teleported once again. Pietro went back into the house laughing.

"Its hilarious scaring those two!"

Maya and Mandy were clinging to Lance.

"So, what's your sign?"

"A stop sign. Get off of me!"

"Girls, he's spoken for."

Maya and Mandy jumped back.

"WHAT?!"

"And you were just toying us around?!"

"I wasn't doing anything!"

Lance stormed upstairs.

"I'm bored. Maya, turn into a horse and take me to Xavier's place."

She growled but went outside with her sister. The group heard the sound of hooves on the road outside.

Pietro rubbed his hands together.

"And then there were two. Hold on. Where's Megan?"

"She locked herself in the bathroom upstairs."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fred sat outside the bathroom door.

"Megan?"

"Go away."

"Nuh-uh. Not 'til you come out."

When they first got there, Fred made the mistake of saying he could beat Megan in anything. They had a hot dog eating contest. Megan threw up and embarrassed herself.

"Well you better set up a rocker because you'll be an old man when that happens."

"It ain't exactly a bad thing if it meant I could talk to you."

Megan blushed as she sat by the toilet.

"And plus, I beat you in the eating contest-"

"Why do you think I'm in here, stupid?!" she screamed opening the door.

"I can't stand losing! Every freaking time-"

She bit her lower lip and turned around.

"My sisters and I are always being compared together. I have to be better. I can't always lose out."

Fred put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm stronger than anyone in this entire city but it isn't good enough! I can't even beat Maya who just 'trains' animals! How could I always be ranked lowest in popularity polls! Its always Mandy, Maya, Melody and now Melanie and Melinda are climbing the polls! I'm dead last because-"

She turned around and clenched her fists.

"I hate it!"

Fred grabbed her hand and pulled her downstairs. They were all laughing as Melanie and Todd caught pieces of food with their long tongues. Pietro was throwing them at superfast speed.

"Fred, what're you-"

Before she could say anything, Fred was picking up a large tree branch and tried to hit her with it.

She went to a tree, wrapped her arms around it, and lifted it easily out of the ground.

"You wanna fight?!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eight trees later, Fred and Megan were panting underneath the stars.

"I won..."

"No you didn't. I hit you in the face."

"And I knocked you on your butt, Dukes."

"Call me Freddie."

She blushed as she focused on the stars.

"Thanks...I guess. I haven't had a good fight in a long time."

"Anytime. As long as you give me food if I win."

She got up and jumped on top of Fred, which was fairly hard since he was almost double her size. Megan sat on his chest and stared at him.

"I will kick your sorry can next time."

He started laughing. The sudden movement made Megan lose her sitting and she fell forward.

Her chin hit his nose.

"Ouch! I'm sorry-" they said holding a hand over their sore spots.

Megan didn't move and still had her face over Fred's. One of his hands went to her face. She leaned into his touch. His hand was the size of her entire head and could feel it trembling slightly.

"I-I've never-I-"

Megan put a finger over his mouth to keep him quiet. Fred stared at Megan's half-closed eyes. She leaned closer and pulled her hand away. Fred lifted his head up and put his lips shyly on hers.

Megan couldn't tell what was coming over her. She had quite a few boyfriends but never had she been so nervous about a little kiss.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Wilbur sisters sat in the Xavier Institute living room, nearly taking the entire place.

"All right. Anyone know why we need to learn this 'problem-solution' essay crap? If there's a problem-"

"Not everyone has high-class lawyers to win cases for them, Mandy."

Mandy stuck her tongue out at Maya.

"Its just stupid. My teacher says I don't make the problem and solution equal parts."

"I think she means you can't just mention the problem once and not talk about the solutions for the entire essay."

"I hate this! Its not like I'll be writing essays in the future!"

"You'll be an actress but what if for one role you're a college student who discovers..."

Melanie couldn't think of what to say next.

"A website with suicide codes in the type in essays!" Maya said jumping up and down.

The girls started listing scenarios where she could need essays.

Some of the New Recruits were looking in the kitchen. Ray Crisp, known as Berzerker, looked curiously at them. He was sixteen-years-old, blonde hair with orange parts in the front, and green eyes. His power was to create and send out electricity.

"Dude, its weird having all these sisters."

Multiple, his real name Jamie Madrox, laughed. He was only 13, brown hair, brown eyes, and could create duplicates of himself.

"I feel like they have the same power as me!"

The sisters stopped with the homework and started talking about things in school.

"Anyone see Mrs. Simpson's mole today?"

"I swear it looked like it was moving!"

"Moles don't move."

"I bet its actually a tick or something!"

"Maya!"

"What?! Ticks can be very tricky!"

Megan was unusually quiet as she stared at her notebook.

"You okay, Meg Nogg?"

"Stop calling me that, Mandy."

"Why?" she said sitting next to her. "That's our thing on set. You're Meg Nogg and I'm Mandy Bars."

"I've been...thinking..."

All of the sisters, as well as the eavesdroppers, listened to Megan.

"I...want to get out of the movie biz."


End file.
